This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Zubair Ali Zai Rahimahullah's Book on the Rules and Issues of Qurbani.
Question:
Can a person, instead of slaughtering two goats or sheep for his son's Aqiqah, include two shares of Aqiqah in the seven shares of a cow sacrificed on the occasion of Eid al-Adha?
Answer:
The Sunnah is that in Aqiqah, a goat (male or female) and a sheep (male or female) should be sacrificed. It is not established to sacrifice a cow or camel, etc., for Aqiqah, unless it is divided into parts. The narration that states فليعق عنه من الإبل أو البقر أو الغنم meaning that camels, cows, and goats can be sacrificed for Aqiqah is
Reference: (Al-Mu'jam al-Saghir by Al-Tabarani 84/1)
Its chain of narration is weak and fabricated due to Mas'adah bin Al-Subai' and others.
Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was asked about sacrificing a camel as Aqiqah on behalf of the child of Abdul Rahman bin Abi Bakr, and she said: معاذ الله ولكن ما قال رسول الله: شانان مكافاتان meaning I seek refuge in Allah from that, but I will do what the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, that two goats are sufficient.
Reference: (Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi 301/9 with a good chain, Tuhfat al-Akhiyar 6/428 Hadith 2516 with a good chain, Mushkil al-Athar by Al-Tahawi 68/3 Hadith 1042 with a good chain, Al-Kamil by Ibn 'Adi 1962/5, second edition 15/7)
Several issues are established from this narration, for example:
(a) It is not permissible to sacrifice cows and camels, etc., as Aqiqah.
(b) The Quran and Hadith always take precedence over all opinions and fatwas. In fact, any opinion or fatwa that contradicts the Quran and Hadith is rejected.
(c) The great virtue of Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) is proven from this because she was very strict in following the Sunnah.
Reference: Fatawa Ilmiyyah: 640/1, 647
