Aqiqah
عقيقة
Pronunciation: ah-KEE-kah
The Sunnah sacrifice of gratitude for a newborn - traditionally two sheep for a boy and one for a girl on the seventh day.
Definition
The sacrifice offered in gratitude for the birth of a child, from the confirmed Sunnah: 'Every child is in pledge for its aqiqah - it is sacrificed for him on his seventh day, his head is shaved, and he is given a name' (Sunan Abi Dawud 2838). Two comparable sheep are offered for a boy and one for a girl (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1513), with one sufficing for a boy where means are limited (Sunan Abi Dawud 2841).
The majority of scholars classify the aqiqah as a strongly emphasized Sunnah rather than an obligation; it remains valid if performed late, and the meat is eaten, gifted, and shared with the poor. The new-child milestone is also when Muslim parents typically name guardians in their wills and begin halal education savings.
Related Terms
Walimaوليمة
The marriage feast in Islam - a recommended celebration hosted after the nikah.
Sadaqahصدقة
Voluntary charitable giving - distinct from obligatory zakat.
Fiqhفِقْه
Islamic jurisprudence - the human scholarly effort to derive practical rulings from the Quran and Sunnah, including every ruling on money, contracts, and finance.
Maslahaمَصْلَحَة
Public benefit or general welfare - a foundational principle scholars use to derive rulings when texts don't directly apply.
Rahmahرَحْمَة
Mercy, compassion, and care - the defining Quranic attribute of Allah, central to Islamic ethics.
Hilahحيلة
A legal stratagem: a contract structured to reach a result the law forbids by a route it permits.
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Aqiqah (عقيقة) - The Sunnah sacrifice of gratitude for a newborn - traditionally two sheep for a boy and one for a girl on the seventh day. The sacrifice offered in gratitude for the birth of a child, from the confirmed Sunnah: 'Every child is in pledge for its aqiqah - it is sacrificed for him on his seventh day, his head is shaved, and he is given a name' (Sunan Abi Dawud 2838). Two comparable sheep are offered for a boy and one for a girl (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1513), with one sufficing for a boy where means are limited (Sunan Abi Dawud 2841).
- The Sunnah sacrifice of gratitude for a newborn - traditionally two sheep for a boy and one for a girl on the seventh day.
- Category: General
- Related: Walima, Sadaqah, Fiqh, Maslaha, Rahmah, Hilah
- Compare related Shariah-compliant products on HalalWallet
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Last reviewed: 2026-10-01
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