✍ By: Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai (رحمه الله)
A narration that mentions:
"فليعق عنه من الإبل والبقر والغنم"
("Let ‘Aqiqah be done for him from camels, cows, or sheep")
(
Al-Mu‘jam al-Ṣaghīr by al-Ṭabarānī, Vol. 1, p. 84)
This narration is considered fabricated and invalid due to the presence of Mas‘adah ibn al-Subay‘ and others in its chain of narration.
"معاذ الله ! ولكن ما قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: شاتان مكافأتان"
"God forbid! Rather, I will do what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed: two comparable sheep."
( Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqī, Vol. 9, p. 301; Sharḥ Mushkil al-Āthār by al-Ṭaḥāwī: 1042 – Chain is Hasan)
② The Qur’an and Hadith are always given precedence over all opinions and fatwas. Any viewpoint that contradicts them is to be rejected.
③ Sayyidah ‘Ā’ishah (رضی الله عنها) held a high virtue and was firm in her adherence to the Sunnah.
❖ Question
Can a person, instead of slaughtering two goats or sheep for his son’s ‘Aqiqah, allocate two shares of a cow (which has seven shares for Eid al-Adha sacrifice) towards ‘Aqiqah?❖ Answer
The prescribed Sunnah is to slaughter a goat (male or female) or sheep for ‘Aqiqah. There is no authentic evidence to support the slaughter of a cow or camel for ‘Aqiqah, let alone allocating shares from these animals for that purpose.A narration that mentions:
"فليعق عنه من الإبل والبقر والغنم"
("Let ‘Aqiqah be done for him from camels, cows, or sheep")
(
Al-Mu‘jam al-Ṣaghīr by al-Ṭabarānī, Vol. 1, p. 84)This narration is considered fabricated and invalid due to the presence of Mas‘adah ibn al-Subay‘ and others in its chain of narration.
❖ Statement of Umm al-Mu’minīn Sayyidah ‘Ā’ishah (رضی الله عنها)
When asked whether a camel could be slaughtered as ‘Aqiqah for the child of ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn Abī Bakr,** she responded:"معاذ الله ! ولكن ما قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: شاتان مكافأتان"
"God forbid! Rather, I will do what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed: two comparable sheep."
(
Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqī, Vol. 9, p. 301; Sharḥ Mushkil al-Āthār by al-Ṭaḥāwī: 1042 – Chain is Hasan)✦ Key Points Derived from This Authentic Report
① It is not permissible to slaughter a cow or camel for ‘Aqiqah.② The Qur’an and Hadith are always given precedence over all opinions and fatwas. Any viewpoint that contradicts them is to be rejected.
③ Sayyidah ‘Ā’ishah (رضی الله عنها) held a high virtue and was firm in her adherence to the Sunnah.
