Aqeeqah:

Aqeeqah is a great Sunnah. It is part of the legacy inherited from Prophet Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him) and a great Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It is a ceremony done in thankfulness to Allah for the newborn child. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have urged Muslims to make Aqeeqah for their children on the seventh day of their birth. Aqeeqah should be carried out on the seventh day bearing in mind how one calculates the seventh day. If a baby was born during the day on a Thursday for example, the seventh day would be the next Wednesday. If a baby was born on the night of Friday for example, then the seventh day is calculated as the next Thursday and for clarity’s sake if a baby was born on Monday then the seventh day is calculated as the next Sunday. If for some reason it was not possible to do it on the 7th day then it can be done at a later date. Those who cannot afford it can give some other charity or just make du`a’ for their child.

Naming the child should be done as soon as the child is born. According to the Sunnah, every child that is born alive should be given a name. If the Aqeeqah
was done before naming the child, there is no harm. There is no need to repeat the Aqeeqah.

The method of Aqeeqah is on the seventh day there are several Sunnah that need to be performed. The baby’s head needs to be shaved where all the hair is removed. After this is done, saffron is mixed with water and applied on the       baby’s head. This was done as a refutation, to demolish the custom of paganistic ritual during the times of Jaahiliyah where they would take the blood of an animal and smear it on the baby’s head. Islam abolished this act and made it a        good practice to use the saffron. Aqeeqah is the second practice to be performed where one goat/sheep is slaughtered for the birth of a baby girl and two sheep/goats are slaughtered for the birth of a baby boy. The leg or thigh of the    sheep is given to the midwife. Charity can also be given to the poor.

What are the Sunnahs of the day of birth?

The day the baby is born azan should be given in the right ear. If the father is not present the mother may also do it. One gives the azan softly in the right ear and Iqamah in the left ear. These are both Sunnah acts according to Ahadith.      One the same day Tahneeq can also be done where dates are chewed and placed inside the mouth of the baby, on the palate. Nabi Muhammad SAW did tahneeq for Abdullah bin Zubayr RA and made dua for him. The rationale for both     these Sunnahs is so that the ears hear the name of All Mighty Allah SWT first and then the name of honourable Nabi Muhammad SAW. The first thing that goes into the mouth of the baby is that which is halaal and tayyibah, nourishing for          the baby.

What happens if no Aqeeqah was done at all?

If the child is still living and one is aware that their Aqeeqah was not made, the Hanafi madhab allows one to perform it as per the requirement for the gender.

Can Aqeeqah be performed for deceased children?

When a child is born and lives for a few days, months or years, and then passes away there is no Aqeeqah. There is no concensus. For those who are deceased young and old there is no Aqeeqah. If you wish to slaughter a goat or sheep for         the deceased in the name of Allah and give to the poor as Esaale Thawaab, that is permissible. This is not called Aqeeqah. These are not the same issues and should not be confused.

What is the rules regarding circumcision for the new born?

It is highly recommended to perform circumcision very early on. If one is travelling on a Thursday and their wife gives birth and they are unable to perform the Aqeeqah the following Wednesday because they are travelling, then you are able to perform it on any subsequent Wednesday. The day one was meant to perform it, then on the same day of any other week one must perform it. Similarly for circumcision which is one of the salient features of Islam.