I was blessed with a son and a daughter, but I did not slaughter the 'aqiqah due to my inability. What is required of me?

Question : Honorable Shaykh, and all praise is due to Allah, I was blessed with a daughter and a son, and there are three years between them. I did not slaughter the 'aqiqah, and that was due to poverty, and sometimes I forget. Also, I am in debt. Do I slaughter the 'aqiqah or not? And peace be upon you.

Answer : He owes nothing. As long as he is poor, he owes nothing, just as a poor person does not owe zakah. Zakah is obligatory on the one who has wealth, and the 'aqiqah is prescribed for the one who has wealth. If he does not have wealth, he does not slaughter, especially since he has a debt. But sometimes the time for the 'aqiqah arrives when a person has no money, yet his salary will come at the end of the month. So, does he perform the 'aqiqah and borrow, or does he borrow and perform the 'aqiqah, or does he wait until the salary arrives? We say: borrow and perform the 'aqiqah at its time, because you are now hoping for repayment. Repayment is certain, meaning, if he hopes for repayment, let him perform the 'aqiqah at its time and borrow. If someone asks how he borrows?
We said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) borrowed and took loans. When Imam Ahmad was asked about this issue, regarding a man who owes an 'aqiqah and has nothing, he said: he should borrow, hoping that Allah will replace it for him, because it is a sweeter sunnah (recommended practice).
Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) qualified Imam Ahmad's statement and said that his saying "he should borrow" means if he hopes for repayment. As for the person who has nothing and does not hope for repayment, he does not borrow.