Fatwa: 795
Category: Fatwas about Offerings and Sacrifices
The permission of sacrificing a ewe or a she-goat for Al-`Aqîqa(1)
The question:
Should the sacrificial sheep or goat of Al-`Aqîqa be male?
The answer:
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family, his Companions and his Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.
It is permissible to sacrifice for Al-`Aqîqa males or females, in accordance with the Prophet صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم saying, on the authority of Um Karz Al-Ka`biyya who asked him about Al-`Aqîqa, he صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم answered, “For a boy, two sheep (or goats), and for a female one sheep (or goat), and it does not matter if it is male or female.”(2). We infer from this hadith that it is permissible to sacrifice a female sheep or a she-goat for Al-`Aqîqa.
The perfect knowledge belongs to Allah عزَّ وجلَّ. Our last prayer is all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon our Prophet, his Family, his Companions and Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.
Algiers, Rabî`Al-Awwal 9th, 1426H.
Corresponding to: March 28th, 2005.
(1) Al-`Aqîqa: It is the sacrificing of one or two sheep on the occasion of the birth of a child, as a token of gratitude to Allah عزَّ وجلَّ.
(2) Reported by Abu Dâwûd, chapter of “Sacrifices” (hadith 2835), by At-Tirmidhi, chapter of “Sacrifices” (hadith 1516), by An-Nassâ'i, chapter of “Al-`Aqîqa” (hadith 4218), by Ahmad (hadith 26962) and Al-Bayhaqi in As-Sunan Al-Kubra (hadith 19879), on the authority of Um Kurz Al-Ka`biyya رضي الله عنها. This hadith is judged authentic by Ibn Al-Qayyim in Tuhfat Al-Maulûd (50) and Al-Albâni in Sahîh Al-Jâmi` As-Saghîr (hadith 4106) and in Irwâ' Al-Ghalîl (4/391).