Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I have six children, all females. On the 8^th day after their birth I usually invite Mallam to name them and do some readings of some verses in the Holy Quran and with light refreshment without the slaughtering of Rams because of my financial hardship. I want to know if this is allowed in Islam or do I have to slaughter six Rams whenever my financial status is improve.

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Answer:

Aqeeqa later cannot afford

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 2832 Narrated by Samurah ibn Jundub

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘A child is in pledge for his ‘Aqiqah’, sacrifice is made for it on the seventh day, its head is shaved, and it is given a name.’

The Aqiqa sacrifice is not obligatory or ‘fard’ in Islam; but rather it is a preferred Sunnah and voluntary. If one does offer this sacrifice as a form of gratitude to his Merciful Creator for the gift of the child which The Lord Most Gracious has bestowed upon them, there is a huge reward, and if one does not offer it for any reason, there is no sin.

It is Sunnah to offer the Aqiqa sacrifice on the 7^th day of the birth of the child; but if for any reason one is unable to afford or offer it on the 7^th day and wishes to offer it at a later date, it is expected that their sacrifice will be accepted by the Lord Most Merciful.

To perform the ‘Aqiqa’ sacrifice on the seventh day of the birth is indeed a preferred Sunnah; but to invite or bear the cost of inviting a ‘Muallim’ to recite some passages of the Glorious Quran and offer the gathering light refreshments is definitely not from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws)!  It would be best for the person to save the ‘cost’ associated with the invitation and the hospitality of the ‘Muallim’ and spend that amount on his family, or save it towards fulfilling the Sunnah of the ‘Aqiqa’ sacrifice. 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan