Discussion of the walimah in the context of the 'aqiqah.

The questioner : In our place in Jeddah, and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia generally, when a child is born to someone, they consider it obligatory for them to gather people for a walimah, similar to the walimah for marriage. In fact, if one of them does not do so, they ask: Where is the walimah for the newborn? Where is the 'aqiqah? I recall the words of al-Shafi'i, which Imam Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned in *Tuhfat al-Mawdud*, where he said, "One does not invite people to the 'aqiqah in the manner of a walimah." What is your opinion on this issue, which is inviting people to the 'aqiqah and making it a habit, to the point that people believe that gathering for a walimah after the birth of a child has become a recommended practice (sunnah)?

The Shaykh : I have no doubt that considering the walimah of the 'aqiqah to be like the invitation to a wedding is a matter that differs completely. The valuable statement you quoted earlier does not actually mean that the invitation is not legitimate, but rather that it means equating the two invitations. We believe that the 'aqiqah is obligatory (wajib), not merely a recommended practice (mustahabb). Then, the father who slaughters for his son is not required to handle it in a specific way. He has the choice in it: if he wishes, he can eat it all; if he wishes, he can give it all as charity; if he wishes, he can invite some people to eat part of it, and eat or give away the rest as charity, and so on. It is not permissible in such a matter to establish a specific system for it that the Wise Lawgiver has not established, because this, in reality, contradicts the general principles, and so on. If the situation in some countries is as you mentioned, then this is a matter of disapproval (nukr) without a doubt, and the people of knowledge should balance the scales. We know that many fathers and wealthy people slaughter animals for the arrival of a guest, but they do not slaughter, even one animal, for their daughters, let alone slaughter two sheep for their sons. This is the reality. Therefore, the people of knowledge should balance the scales: they should order those who do not slaughter to slaughter, and they should order those who are strict about the 'aqiqah and believe that it is necessary to invite people to it. This is also the case. The matter has breadth in it and gives people a choice. Among the legal principles that some people have misapplied and restricted what the Lawgiver made general is that what the Lawgiver made general should remain general. We do not enter into it any restriction, number, place, time, or anything else. It remains as the Wise Lawgiver left it. And conversely, it is not permissible for us to make general what the Lawgiver restricted, just as it is not permissible to generalize what the Lawgiver specified. And so on. This is part of the completion of What do you have?