The minimum age for the 'Aqiqah: a one-year-old lamb
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Fatwa number ( 20221 )
Q: If a child is born to me and I do not have sheep to perform the 'Aqiqah for him, but I have camels, and I want to slaughter a standing camel or a one-year-old camel, I hope you will give me a ruling on this. I also hope you will inform me if there is a specific age for the 'Aqiqah if it is from camels or cows. I have heard that its ruling is the same as that of the sacrificial animals, but I did not understand what that means.
A: The minimum acceptable age for the 'Aqiqah is a one-year-old lamb, which is one that has completed six months. For other animals, the minimum is a two-year-old: a two-year-old goat is one that has completed one year, a two-year-old cow is one that has completed two years,
and a two-year-old camel is one that has completed five years. Nothing less than this is acceptable for the 'Aqiqah, nor for the sacrificial animals, nor for the hady. It is better for the 'Aqiqah to be from sheep, and that two sheep be sacrificed for a boy and one sheep for a girl, and that it be free from defects, like the sacrificial animal. As for how to dispose of the meat of the 'Aqiqah, no explicit text has come from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding this. However, the disposal should be in a manner similar to what is close to it in terms of acts of devotion, namely the sacrificial animal, where one gives it as hady, gives it in charity, and eats from it. If one eats all of it or gives all of its meat in charity, there is no harm in that. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: If a child is born to me and I do not have sheep to perform the 'Aqiqah for him, but I have camels, and I want to slaughter a standing camel or a one-year-old camel, I hope you will give me a ruling on this. I also hope you will inform me if there is a specific age for the 'Aqiqah if it is from camels or cows. I have heard that its ruling is the same as that of the sacrificial animals, but I did not understand what that means.
A: The minimum acceptable age for the 'Aqiqah is a one-year-old lamb, which is one that has completed six months. For other animals, the minimum is a two-year-old: a two-year-old goat is one that has completed one year, a two-year-old cow is one that has completed two years,
and a two-year-old camel is one that has completed five years. Nothing less than this is acceptable for the 'Aqiqah, nor for the sacrificial animals, nor for the hady. It is better for the 'Aqiqah to be from sheep, and that two sheep be sacrificed for a boy and one sheep for a girl, and that it be free from defects, like the sacrificial animal. As for how to dispose of the meat of the 'Aqiqah, no explicit text has come from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding this. However, the disposal should be in a manner similar to what is close to it in terms of acts of devotion, namely the sacrificial animal, where one gives it as hady, gives it in charity, and eats from it. If one eats all of it or gives all of its meat in charity, there is no harm in that. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.