My mother has passed away and I want to perform the 'aqiqah sacrifice for her, but when I inquired of one of the imams of the mosques in Baghdad, he said that the 'aqiqah is performed for the living, not for the deceased, so what
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The questioner : My mother has passed away and I want to perform the 'aqiqah sacrifice for her, but when I inquired of one of the imams of the mosques in Baghdad, he said that the 'aqiqah is performed for the living, not for the deceased, so what is the ruling of the Shari'ah in your view regarding this, and we ask for your guidance on this?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
The 'aqiqah is not prescribed for the deceased; rather, it is prescribed at birth, on the seventh day after a person is born. It is prescribed for his father to be certain to sacrifice on behalf of this child, whether it is a male or a female. However, a male has two 'aqiqah sacrifices, while a female has one. They are slaughtered on the seventh day, and one eats from them, gives charity from them, and gifts them. There is no blame on a person if he slaughters it on the seventh day and invites his relatives and neighbors to it, and gives charity from it, combining these things. If a person is not well-off and sacrifices one animal on behalf of a male, that suffices him.
The scholars said: If it is not possible on the seventh day, then it is on the fourteenth day; if that is not possible, then on the twenty-first day; if that is not possible, then on any day he wishes. This is the 'aqiqah. As for the deceased, he is not offered an 'aqiqah, but rather one supplicates for him for forgiveness and mercy, and supplication for him is better than anything else. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, as narrated by Abu Hurayrah from him:Sahih Muslim 1631 Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "or a righteous son who supplicates for him." He did not say "or a righteous son who fasts for him, or prays for him, or gives charity on his behalf, or the like of that." This indicates that supplication is better than the deed that is dedicated to the deceased. If a person dedicates a righteous deed to the deceased, such as giving charity with the intention for the deceased, or praying two rak'ahs with the intention for the deceased, or reciting the Qur'an with the intention for the deceased, there is no blame in that. However, supplication is better than all of that, because it is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) guided to.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
The 'aqiqah is not prescribed for the deceased; rather, it is prescribed at birth, on the seventh day after a person is born. It is prescribed for his father to be certain to sacrifice on behalf of this child, whether it is a male or a female. However, a male has two 'aqiqah sacrifices, while a female has one. They are slaughtered on the seventh day, and one eats from them, gives charity from them, and gifts them. There is no blame on a person if he slaughters it on the seventh day and invites his relatives and neighbors to it, and gives charity from it, combining these things. If a person is not well-off and sacrifices one animal on behalf of a male, that suffices him.
The scholars said: If it is not possible on the seventh day, then it is on the fourteenth day; if that is not possible, then on the twenty-first day; if that is not possible, then on any day he wishes. This is the 'aqiqah. As for the deceased, he is not offered an 'aqiqah, but rather one supplicates for him for forgiveness and mercy, and supplication for him is better than anything else. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, as narrated by Abu Hurayrah from him: