there. I read on your website about the rulings on the newborn and the
'aqeeqah, but I want to ask you: is it permissible to delay the
'aqeeqah until I go to Syria in a few months time, in sha Allah, or
does it have to be doneafter the birth? Do I have to do appoint
someone tobuy it, slaughter it and distribute it on my behalf?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The 'aqeeqah is Sunnah and mustahabb; it is not obligatory at all, so
there is no sin on the one who does not do it, or the one who delays
it and does not do it at the time that is mustahabb, although he
misses out on the virtue and reward of that. (He may delay it) until
he is able to do it, or he may omit it.
See the answer to question no. 38197
Secondly:
The Sunnah with regard to the 'aqeeqah is to do it on the seventh day,
and delaying it until after that is contrary to the Sunnah, because
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Every
child is in pledge for his 'aqeeqah which should be sacrificed for him
on the seventh day, and his head should be shaved and he should be
given a name."
Narrated by Abu Dawood(2838); classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani
in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
Al-Layth ibn Sa'd said: The'aqeeqah should be offered for the newborn
on the seventh day; if they are not able to offer the 'aqeeqah on the
seventh day, there is nothing wrong with themdoing so afterwards. It
is not obligatory to offer the'aqeeqah for him after seven days.
End quote from Tuhfat al-Mawdood, p. 63
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If it is slaughtered on his behalf on the fourth or eighth or tenth
day, or after that, it is acceptable.
End quote from Tuhfat al-Mawdood, p. 63
The Scholars of the Standing Committee said:
The 'aqeeqah is a Sunnah mu'akkadah (confirmed Sunnah), two sheep on
behalf of a boy, each of which should be acceptable as an udhiyah, and
one sheep on behalf of a girl. It should be slaughtered on the seventh
day, and if it is delayed until after the seventh day it is
permissible to slaughter itat any time. There is no sin in delaying
it, although it is preferable to do it sooner if possible.
End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 11/439
Thirdly:
There is nothing to say that the 'aqeeqah should not be delayed if
there is a reason to delay it or if doing so will achieve a better
purpose, and so on.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allah preserve him) was asked:
If I am in my city and Allah blessed me with a baby boy or girl, but I
willnot be able to go back to my husband in the other city where he
lives until after a month or more, doI have to do the 'aqeeqah on the
seventh or fourteenth or twenty-firstday as mentioned in the hadeeth
of 'Aa'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), or is it permissible for
me to delay it until I go back to my husband and do it when I am with
him?
He replied:
There is nothing to say that slaughtering of the 'aqeeqah cannot be
delayed until a time that is more suitable and easier for the parents
or for one of them. Rather slaughtering it on the seventh or
twenty-first day is recommended if that is possible. But if it is not
possible then there is nothing wrong with delaying it until another
time, according to what they are able to do. It should be noted that
slaughtering the 'aqeeqahshould be done by the father of the child and
it isone of the rights that the child has over his father.
End quote from al-Muntaqa min Fataawa al-Fawzaan, 84/5
Fourthly:
If you are able to appoint someone among your family or acquaintances
toslaughter the 'aqeeqah ontime, this is better and is preferable to
delaying it until the time of your arrival.
But if that is too difficult for you or you do not have enough money
to do that, or you do not have anyone who can do that on your behalf,
then as stated above there is nothing wrong with delaying it,
especially if there is a reason preventing you from slaughtering it on
time.
And Allah knows best.
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