This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Farooq Rafi's book Qurbani, Aqiqa, and Ashra Zil-Hijjah.
The recommended time for Aqiqa is the seventh day after the newborn's birth. Performing Aqiqa before this is not prescribed, and doing it after the seventh day will be considered Qadha (make-up), not an original performance.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Samrah bin Jundub (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
كل غلام رهينة بعقيقته، تذبح عنه يوم سابعه، ويحلق ويسمى
“Every child is held ransom by his Aqiqa; it should be sacrificed on his behalf on the seventh day, his head should be shaved, and his name should be given.”
Reference: Sahih Bukhari: 5472, Sunan Abu Dawood, Kitab al-Dahaya, Bab fi al-Aqiqa: 2838, Jami` at-Tirmidhi: 1522, Sunan an-Nasa'i: 4235, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3165.
Benefits:
This hadith is evidence that the specific time for Aqiqah is the seventh day after birth, and if Aqiqah is performed before the seventh day, it will be considered untimely, and after the seventh day, the time for Aqiqah will have passed (after which Aqiqah will be considered Qadha). If the newborn dies before the seventh day, Aqiqah will be waived. Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, holds the same position.
Reference: Fath al-Bari: 736/9, Nayl al-Awtar: 141/5.
This is the prevailing position because the narration mentioning the three days for Aqiqah (seventh, fourteenth, and twenty-first) is weak.
❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Buraidah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:
العقيقة تذبح لسبع، ولأربع عشرة، ولإحدىٰ وعشرين
“On the seventh, fourteenth, and twenty-first day, Aqiqah should be slaughtered.”
Reference: Weak: Sunan al-Bayhaqi: 303/9, Al-Tabarani al-Kabir: 5039, Al-Tabarani al-Saghir: 724. Ismail bin Muslim is weak and Qatadah bin Du'ama is a muddler.
If a person does not have the means to perform Aqeeqah, then his wealthy relatives should cooperate in fulfilling this obligation. And if someone performs the Aqeeqah on behalf of a poor and destitute person, this act is permissible and lawful, because it is established that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ performed Aqeeqah for Sayyidna Hasan and Husayn رضي الله عنهما. Furthermore, if there is no way to assist the poor and destitute person, and he himself cannot bear the burden of Aqeeqah, then he is excused and will not be sinful for neglecting the obligation. The evidences are as follows:
① Allah the Exalted says:
﴿لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا﴾
"Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear."
Reference: Al-Baqarah: 286
② He further says:
﴿فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ﴾
"Fear Allah as much as you are able."
Reference: At-Taghabun: 16
③ It is narrated from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ said:
وإذا أمرتكم بأمر، فأتوا منه ما استطعتم
"When I command you to do something, do it according to your ability."
Reference: Bukhari, Book of Adherence to the Book and Sunnah, Chapter on Following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: 7288, Sahih Muslim, Book of Hajj, Chapter on the Obligation of Hajj Once in a Lifetime: 1337.
The Practice of a Wrong Custom:
In the present society, when a child is born in religious or non-religious families, especially on the birth of a son and rarely on the birth of a daughter, relatives and friends insist that sweets be distributed on this happy occasion. Consequently, on this joyful occasion, both rich and poor distribute sweets and do not hesitate to take loans if necessary. However, when attention is drawn to the Aqeeqah, the majority try to postpone this duty with excuses and tricks.
Remember! Distributing sweets worth thousands neither has any benefit according to Shariah nor does it fulfill the duty of Aqeeqah. Therefore, it is necessary to make people aware of the importance of Aqeeqah and if relatives and friends are to be invited to this happiness, then arrangements for Aqeeqah should be made. In this way, the duty of Aqeeqah will be fulfilled, relatives will be invited, and the expenses on sweets and such will be much less.
(والله الموفق)
A person for whom Aqeeqah has not been performed can perform his own Aqeeqah after reaching puberty, because a newborn is always like a pawned item until his Aqeeqah is done. Therefore, an adult person can also perform Aqeeqah to free himself from this pawn.
However, the narrations used as evidence for the permissibility of an adult person performing Aqeeqah are weak.
① Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم عق عن نفسه بعد ما بعث نبيا
"Indeed, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) performed Aqeeqah for himself after he was sent as a Prophet."
Reference: Weak: Musnad Bazzar: 1237, Musannaf Abdul Razzaq: 7960, Sunan Bayhaqi: 300/9, Tabarani Awsat: 998.
In the chains of Musnad Bazzar, Musannaf Abdul Razzaq, and Sunan Bayhaqi, Abdullah bin Muharrir is a discarded narrator, and in Tabarani Awsat, Abdullah bin Ashni Abu Al-Shani is a weak narrator.
② Muhammad bin Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
لو أعلم أنه لم يعق عني لعققت عن نفسي
"If I knew that my Aqeeqah had not been done, I would perform my own Aqeeqah."
Reference: Weak: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 530/5. Hafs bin Ghiyath is a muddler.
