Should she offer a sacrifice (udhiyah) or offer ‘aqeeqah for herself, as her father did not offer ‘aqeeqah on her behalf?

A 39 years old woman wants to sacrifice an animal. It was said to
herthat she should make 'Aqeeqah (the sacrifice which has to be done
after the birth of a son) for herself first as her father did not do
it for her when she was born. Her husband did not do 'Aqeeqah for
their children either. They have a daughter and a son. Should she make
'Aqeeqah for her children and herself? Or as for the children it
should be done by their father? She has a 15 years old daughter and
a16 years old son. Is 'Aqeeqah compulsory or it becomes cancelled if
the child reaches adulthood?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
'Aqeeqah is a confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah mu'akkadah) according to the
correct view. This has been explained in the answer to question no.
20018 . The one who is addressed here is the father; it is not
required of the mother or the children.
The duty to offer 'aqeeqah is not waived when the child reaches
puberty. If the father is able then it is mustahabb for him to offer
'aqeeqah on behalfof his children for whomhe did not yet offer
'aqeeqah.
If the father did not offer 'aqeeqah for his child, is it prescribed
for the child or anyone else to offer 'aqeeqah on his behalf? The
fuqaha' differed concerning that, but the correct view is that this is
prescribed and is mustahabb.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (9/364):
If 'aqeeqah was not offered at all and thechild reaches puberty and
earns a living, then he does not have to offer 'aqeeqah. Ahmad was
asked about this matter and he said: That applies to the father,
i.e.,he should not offer 'aqeeqah for himself; theSunnah has to do
with someone else (namely the father).
'Ata' and al-Hasan said: he may offer 'aqeeqah for himself, because it
is prescribed for him and because he is held in pledge for it, so it
shouldbe prescribed for him to release himself.
And we think that it is prescribed for the fatherand no one else
should do it. End quote.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Tuhfat al-Mawdood
fi Ahkaam al-Mawlood: Chapter nineteen: The ruling on one whose
parents did not do 'aqeeqah for him;should he offer 'aqeeqah for
himself when he reaches puberty? Al-Khallaal said:Chapter on what is
recommended for one for whom 'aqeeqah was not done when he was small
and he may offer 'aqeeqah for himself when he is an adult. Then he
quoted some of the discussion of Ismaa'eel narrated from Sa'eed
al-Shaalinji who said: I asked Ahmad about a man whose father told him
that he had not offered 'aqeeqah for him, could he offer 'aqeeqah for
himself? He said: That is the duty of the father.
Al-Maymooni said: I said to Abu 'Abd-Allaah: If 'aqeeqah was not done
for a person, could it be done for him when he is an adult? He
mentioned something that was narrated concerning ('aqeeqah for) an
adult, but he classed it as da'eef (weak). But he regarded it as
something good, if 'aqeeqah was not done for him when he was small,
for it to be done for him when he is an adult. He said: If a person
does that, I would not disapprove ofit. He said: 'Abd al-Malik told me
elsewhere that he said to Abu 'Abd-Allaah: Should 'aqeeqah be offered
for him when he is an adult?He said: I did not hear anything about an
adult.I said: His father was poor then he became well off and he does
not want to leave his son without offering 'aqeeqah for him. He said:
I do not know and Idid not hear anything with regard to an adult. Then
he said to me: But if someone who does it, that is good, and there are
some people who regard it as obligatory. End quote.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, after quoting these words:
The first view is more correct, which is that it ismustahabb to offer
'aqeeqah on behalf of oneself, because 'aqeeqah is a confirmed Sunnah
but the father omitted to do it, so it is prescribed for him to do it
if he is able. That is because of the general meaning of the
ahaadeeth, such as the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him): "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 begiven a name." Narrated by Imam Ahmad and
the authors of al-Sunan fromSamurah ibn Jundub (may Allaah be pleased
with him) with a saheeh isnaad. And Umm Karaz al-Ka'biyyah narrated
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined
that 'aqeeqah be done for a boy with two sheep and for a female with
one sheep, as was narrated by the five. Al-Tirmidhi narrated
andclassed as saheeh a similar report from 'Aa'ishah. This is not
addressed only to the father; rather it also includes the child, the
mother and other relatives of the newborn. End quote from Majmoo'
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (26/266).
Based on this, it may be said to the sister who is asking this
question: Youmay offer 'aqeeqah on behalf of yourself, or on behalf of
your children iftheir father did not offer'aqeeqah on their behalf.
Secondly:
Udhiyah is a confirmed Sunnah and is prescribed for both men and
women. One udhiyah is sufficient on behalf of a man and the members of
his household, or on behalf of a woman and the members of her
household.
This woman may offer a sacrifice, whether her husband also offers a
sacrifice or not.
If she offers a sacrifice, that will suffice for her 'aqeeqah too.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Chapter eighteen on
the ruling on combining 'aqeeqah and udhiyah.
Al-Khallaal said: Chapter on what was narrated about the udhiyah
sufficing for the 'aqeeqah too.
'Abd al-Malik al-Maymooni told us thathe said to Abu 'Abd-Allaah
(i.e., Imam Ahmad): Is it permissible to offer the udhiyah on behalf
of a child instead of the 'aqeeqah? He said:I do not know. Then he
said: More than one said that. I said: From among the Taabi'een? He
said: Yes.
And 'Abd al-Malik told me elsewhere that Abu 'Abd-Allaah said that
some of them said that ifhe offers an udhiyah that will suffice for
the 'aqeeqah too.
'Usmah ibn 'Isaam told us: Hambal narrated to us that Abu 'Abd-Allaah
said: I hope that the udhiyah will suffice for the 'aqeeqah too, in
sha Allaah, for the one who did not offer 'aqeeqah.
'Usmah ibn 'Isaam told us elsewhere: Hanbal told us that Abu
'Abd-Allaah said: If a sacrifice (udhiyah) is offered on his behalf,
the udhiyah will suffice for the 'aqeeqah. He said: And I saw Abu
'Abd-Allaah buying an udhiyah that he sacrificed on behalf of himself
and his family, and his son 'Abd-Allaah was small when he sacrificed
it. I think he intended thereby to do the 'aqeeqah and the udhiyah,
and he shared out the meat and ate some of it.
And Allaah knows best.