Question:

What do the experts and scholars of Shari’ah say about the following scenario: Allah ﷻ has blessed me with a daughter and this is my first child. I want to perform ‘aqiqa according to the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. I have a brother who has also been blessed with a son however he is financially struggling and is going through great difficulties. Keeping this in mind, can I use the money which I have set aside for the ‘aqiqah and distribute it amongst those in need? I live in Cairo and my brother lives in a village in Gharbia, Egypt.  What is the legal ruling?

Answer:

To sacrifice an animal after the birth of a child is known as ‘aqiqah. This is from the sunnah mu’akkadah (emphasised practices) of the Beloved Prophet ﷺ. When the grandsons of the Prophet ﷺ were born, Sayyiduna Imam Hasan and Sayyiduna Imam Husayn, the Prophet ﷺ performed such a sacrifice upon their births. For this reason, distributing money instead of sacrificing an animal will not complete the sunnah of ‘aqiqah.

And Allah ﷻ knows the best

This Fatwa is written by Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Munir Al-Azhari