عقیقہ (نومولود کی طرف سے ذبیحہ)

العَقِيقَة

In the lexicon, aqiqa is the hair a child is born with, and it names the animal sacrificed for a newborn; as a term it is what is slaughtered for a newborn in thanks to God ¹. It differs from the festival sacrifice in its time and place: it is slaughtered when the child is born, at any time of the year, whereas the sacrifice is made on the days of sacrifice ^{1 2}. The Shafi'is and Hanbalis hold it a confirmed sunna and the Malikis recommended; the Hanafis allow it as a voluntary act in thanks ². The Shafi'is ask it from a father who can afford it, and the majority hold it for a girl as well as a boy ². The Hanafis and Malikis fix the time at the seventh day, while the Shafi'is and Hanbalis count from the child's complete birth; the Shafi'is and Hanbalis require livestock, two sheep for a boy and one for a girl, while the Hanafis and Malikis give one for each ^{3 4 5}. It is recommended to cook it without breaking its bones, eat from it, give it as gifts and charity, and to pronounce the reported formula at slaughter ⁵.