‘Aqiqah is an Islamic rite involving the slaughter of an animal. This is seen as an expression of gratitude to Allah upon the birth of a child. Despite its widespread practice, a recurring question emerges: must ‘aqiqah be performed strictly on the seventh day, or is it permissible to do so before or after that time?
To address this issue, it is essential to begin with the meaning of ‘aqiqah itself. Linguistically, the term ‘aqiqah derives from a root meaning “to cut” or “to sever.” This answers why the slaughtered animal is referred to as such. It is also used to denote the hair of a newborn, which is customarily shaved as part of the ritual.
From a sharia perspective, ‘aqiqah is a ritual slaughter performed on behalf of a newborn as a form of gratitude. The rituals is accompanied by specific intentions and procedures. It is therefore categorized as an act of worship (‘ibadah) with its own legal framework.
The majority of Islamic scholars (jumhur) agree that ‘aqiqah is not obligatory, but rather sunnah muakkadah (highly recommended). This position is based on a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):
مَنْ وُلِدَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ فَأَحَبَّ أَنْ يَنْسُكَ عَنْهُ فَلْيَنْسُكْ
Translation: “Whoever has a child born to him and wants to offer a sacrifice on his behalf, let him do so.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 2842)
The phrase fa ahabba (“if he wishes”) indicates that the act is encouraged rather than obligatory, especially for those who are financially capable.
A more specific guideline regarding timing is found in another authentic hadith:
كُلُّ غُلَامٍ مُرْتَهَنٌ بِعَقِيقَتِهِ تُذْبَحُ عَنْهُ يَوْمَ السَّابِعِ وَيُسَمَّى فِيهِ وَيُحْلَقُ رَأْسُهُ
Translation: “Every child is in pledge for his ‘aqiqah, which is sacrificed for him on his 7th day, and his head is shaved, and he is named.” (Sunan al-Khamsah from Samurah bin Jundub, validated by at-Tirmidzi)
This narration serves as the primary textual basis for the recommendation to perform ‘aqiqah on the seventh day. Consequently, performing it before the seventh day lacks a strong jurisprudential foundation. The preferred practice, therefore, is to wait until the seventh day.
Divergent Scholarly Views on Delayed ‘Aqiqah
Scholars differ, however, on the ruling if the seventh day is missed.
The Hanbali school permits performing ‘aqiqah on the fourteenth or twenty-first day, based on the hadith:
الْعَقِيقَةُ تُذْبَحُ لِسَبْعٍ وَلأَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ وَلإِحْدَى وَعِشْرِينَ
Translation: “‘Aqiqah is slaughtered during the seventh day, the fourteenth day, and the twenty first day.” (Sunan al-Baihaqi no. 19076)
Meanwhile, scholars of the Shafi‘i school maintain that ‘aqiqah does not lapse with time. It remains permissible even after a delay, and some even allow a person to perform ‘aqiqah for themselves in adulthood. This is supported by the narration:
أَنَّ النَّبِىَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَقَّ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ بَعْدَ النُّبُوَّةِ
Translation: “That the Prophet (PBUH) performed ‘aqiqah for himself after he had been commissioned as a Prophet.” (Sunan al-Baihaqi no. 19056)
However, both of these narrations have been subject to significant criticism among hadith scholars. The narration supporting the fourteenth and twenty-first days is considered da‘if (weak) due to the presence of Isma‘il ibn Muslim al-Makki in its chain, who was deemed unreliable by authorities such as Imam Ahmad, al-Nasa’i, and Abu Zur‘ah.
Similarly, the narration about the Prophet performing ‘aqiqah for himself is also widely regarded as weak, and even classified as munkar (denounced) by Imam al-Baihaqi. Due to these weaknesses, such reports cannot serve as strong independent legal evidence.
Verdict:
Based on the strongest available evidence, the most sound and preferred time to perform ‘aqiqah is on the seventh day after the child’s birth. Performing it before the seventh day lacks a valid textual basis, while the evidence supporting performance after the seventh day is comparatively weak.
Furthermore, the responsibility of performing ‘aqiqah lies primarily with the parents—particularly the father as the financial provider—not the child. Therefore, a person is not required to perform ‘aqiqah for themselves later in life if it was not done at birth.
Reference:
Council for Religious Opinion and Reform, Central Board of Muhammadiyah, “Menggabungkan Penyembelihan Akikah dan Kurban”, in Suara Muhammadiyah Magazine, no. 23. (2012)
