Is ʿAqīqah Obligatory According to Authentic Aḥādīth?
Adapted from the book “Parents and Children’s Rights” by Shaykh Jāwīd Iqbāl Sialkoti
❀ ʿAqīqah is Obligatory
① Ḥadīth of Salmān ibn ʿĀmir رضي الله عنه
◈ Arabic:
عن سلمان بن عامر قال: سمعت رسول الله يقول: مع الغلام عقيقة فاهريقوا عنه دما وآميطوا عنه الأذى
◈ Translation:
Salmān ibn ʿĀmir رضي الله عنه narrated: “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘A ʿaqīqah is associated with a newborn child; so shed blood (i.e. sacrifice an animal) on his behalf and remove the harm from him.’”
📚 (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of ʿAqīqah, Chapter: Removing Harm from the Child in ʿAqīqah: 5472)
② Ḥadīth of ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها
◈ Arabic:
عن عائشة قالت: أمرنا رسول الله أن نعق عن الغلام شاتين وعن الجارية شاة
◈ Translation:
ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed us to perform ʿaqīqah with two sheep for a boy and one sheep for a girl.”
📚 (Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Mājah, Book of Slaughtering, Chapter of ʿAqīqah: 3163)
✔ Benefit:
This ḥadīth proves that ʿaqīqah is obligatory for both boys and girls.
③ Ḥadīth of Samurah رضي الله عنه
◈ Arabic:
عن سمرة قال: قال رسول الله: الغلام مرتهن بعقيقته يذبح عنه يوم السابع ويسمى ويحلق رأسه
◈ Translation:
Samurah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“A child is held in pledge for his ʿaqīqah; sacrifice is made for him on the seventh day, he is named, and his head is shaved.”
📚 (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tirmidhī, Book of Sacrifice, Chapter: What Has Been Reported Regarding ʿAqīqah: 1522; Ibn Mājah, Chapter of ʿAqīqah: 3165)
④ Ḥadīth of Umm Kuraiz رضي الله عنها
◈ Arabic:
عن أم كرز قالت: سمعت رسول الله يقول: عن الغلام شاتان مكافتتان وعن الجارية شاة
◈ Translation:
Umm Kuraiz رضي الله عنها narrated: “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: For a boy, two similar sheep are to be slaughtered; and for a girl, one sheep.”
📚 (Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Mājah: 3163; al-Tirmidhī: 5113)
⑤ Ḥadīth of Abū Buraydah رضي الله عنه
◈ Arabic:
عن أبى بريدة قال: كنا فى الجاهلية إذا ولد لا حدنا غلام ذبح شاء ولطخ رأسه بدمها فلما جاء الله بالإسلام كنا نذبح شاة ونحلق رأسه ونلطحه بزعفران
◈ Translation:
Abū Buraydah رضي الله عنه said:
“In the pre-Islamic era, when a boy was born among us, we would slaughter a sheep and smear its blood on his head. When Allah granted us Islam, we began to slaughter a sheep, shave his head, and apply saffron to it.”
📚 (Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on ʿAqīqah: 2843)
✔ Conclusion and Benefit
These aḥādīth establish the following:
① ʿAqīqah should be done on the seventh day after birth.
② If the parents are unable to afford it on the seventh day, they are still obligated to perform it later in life when financially able.
③ The child is “held in pledge” until the ʿaqīqah is offered – similar to a mortgaged item which is not returned until the debt is paid.
④ Hence, ʿAqīqah is an obligation upon the parents, not a mere recommendation.
⑤ If parents had the means on the seventh day but neglected to do it, it remains obligatory as a debt they owe.
