#772: Ruling on Slaughtering the ‘Aqīqah Years after Birth

772 QUESTION

“Assalam alaykum, what is the Islamic stand as per aqeeqah ram. If one’s parents didn’t kill the ram, can one do it when he has the money. Secondly,is their any impact the aqeeqah ram will have in someone’s life?”

ANSWER:

Wa Alaykum Salām Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh.

May Allāh illumine your heart and make you among His Pious Servants, amīn.

As for the ‘Aqīqah, know that it is an Emphatic Sunnah in accordance with the position held by the majority of the Ulamā. And for that reason, it is not an Obligatory deed for which a person is punished. However, it is an Emphatic Sunnah as we mentioned above. Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah mentioned that in Tuhfatu Al-Mawdūd.

Then, it should be known that the ‘Aqīqah does not become invalid by the growing of the child. What is meant here is that if a father, upon whom the responsibility of the ‘Aqīqah is placed, was incapable of doing it at the time of the birth, later becomes capable in the later years of the child, there is nothing that prevents him from doing that even if the child is completely grown. But the Ulamā differed on whether the child, after he has grown up, is expected to carry out the ‘Aqiqah by himself. Imam Ibn Qudāmah Al-Maqdisī – rahimahullāh – said in Al-Mughnī:

“If he did not carry out the ‘Aqīqah at the time of birth and the child grows up and has earned much, there is ‘Aqiqah on him (the child). And Ahmad was asked about this matter and he said: that Obligation is upon the father. Meaning to say: he does not do the ‘Aqiqah for himself because the Sunnah is upon other than him.
Atā and Al-Hassan said: he should do the ‘Aqiqah for himself because the recommendation is on his behalf, and because it is his ransom. So it should be required that he ransoms himself.
And to us, we see it to be a requirement from the father, so let it not be carried out by other than him…”

Based on this difference, there is nothing wrong if the child decides to do the ‘Aqīqah for himself even after he has grown, and Allāh knows best.

As for whether it has any impact upon his or her life, we have not seen any statement from the Rasūl -salallāhu alayhi wasallam – in regards to this. And as we stated earlier, it is an Emphatic Sunnah.

And Allāh knows best.

Bārakallāhu Fīkum
Jazakumullāhu Khayran.

15th Sha’bān, 1440AH.

📚IslāmNode

https://telegram.me/IslamNodeQuestionAnswers

https://t.me/INQAArchive