What is Aqiqah & What is Its Spiritual Importance?

What Does Aqiqah Mean?

The word Aqiqah comes from an Arabic root referring to the hair of a newborn baby. In Islamic terms, Aqiqah meaning refers to the animal sacrifice offered on behalf of a newborn, traditionally on the seventh day after birth, alongside shaving the baby's hair and giving its equivalent weight in silver to charity.

So what is Aqiqah in Islam, in simple terms? It's an act of gratitude and worship — a way of thanking Allah for a child, following the example of the Prophet ﷺ, who performed Aqiqah for his own grandsons, Hasan and Husain (RA).

The Spiritual Importance of Aqiqah

Aqiqah isn't just a cultural custom — it holds real spiritual significance. It's an expression of shukr (gratitude) to Allah for the trust of a child, and a way of seeking His protection over that child's life.

A hadith reported in Sunan Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi describes a newborn as being 'in pledge' for its Aqiqah — understood by many scholars to mean that performing the sacrifice is a means of seeking Allah's protection and blessing over the child from the very start of their life.

Performing Aqiqah also connects a family to the wider ummah: by sharing the meat with relatives, neighbours and those in need, a private family blessing becomes an act of community generosity too.

Key Traditions and Practices

A number of sunnahs are traditionally observed alongside the Aqiqah sacrifice itself:

• Tahnik — chewing a small piece of date and rubbing it gently on the newborn's palate, following the Prophet's ﷺ practice.

• The adhan and iqamah — many families call the adhan into the baby's right ear and the iqamah into the left shortly after birth.

• Shaving the baby's head — usually on the same day as the Aqiqah, with the weight of the hair in silver given to charity.

• Naming the child — the seventh day is also a recommended time to formally name the baby.

• Duas of gratitude and protection — many parents recite a short dua asking Allah to bless and protect the child, and to accept the sacrifice on the baby's behalf.

None of these practices are compulsory in the way the five daily prayers are, but they're well-established sunnahs that many families choose to observe together as part of the Aqiqah celebration.

Step-by-Step Guide to Performing Aqiqah

1. Choose your timing — the sunnah is the seventh day after birth, though the 14th or 21st day, or any later date, is also valid if the seventh day isn't possible.

2. Select the animal — one or two sheep or goats are typical, meeting the same health and age conditions as a Qurbani animal.

3. Make your intention (niyyah) — the sacrifice should be made specifically on behalf of the child.

4. Perform the slaughter — saying Bismillah and Allahu Akbar, and naming the child in the dua, following the same Islamic slaughter method used for Qurbani.

5. Carry out the accompanying sunnahs — shaving the head, giving the silver equivalent to charity, and naming the child, if not already done.

6. Distribute the meat — see the section below for how this is typically divided.

How to Distribute Aqiqah Meat

Unlike Qurbani, where meat is often distributed raw, Aqiqah meat is commonly cooked and shared as part of a celebratory meal — though giving raw portions to those in need is also acceptable and appreciated.

A commonly followed guideline is to divide the meat into three roughly equal portions:

• One portion for immediate family.

• One portion for relatives, friends and neighbours.

• One portion for those in need.

This isn't a rigid requirement — scholars generally allow flexibility here — but it reflects the spirit of Aqiqah as both a personal celebration and an act of charity.

Arranging an Aqiqah

If you can't arrange the sacrifice, distribution and cooking yourself, Human Appeal can carry out your Aqiqah on your behalf, ensuring it's performed correctly and the meat reaches families who need it most, in the UK or overseas.

With Human Appeal, Aqiqah starts from £110 for a baby girl (one animal) or £220 for a baby boy (two animals, following the prophetic sunnah). We aim to perform the sacrifice within 2–3 weeks, distributing 2kg of fresh meat to 7–8 families in need — and we'll send you a personalised report confirming when and where it was performed. In 2025 alone, Aqiqah sacrifices nourished 67,646 people.

This is a popular option for busy new parents, families living far from relatives who could help, or anyone who'd like their Aqiqah to directly support vulnerable communities.

Scholarly Opinions on Aqiqah Across the Madhhabs

While all four Sunni madhhabs agree Aqiqah is a recommended practice, there are some differences in emphasis and detail:

• Hanafi — generally view Aqiqah as mustahab (recommended) rather than a strongly emphasised sunnah, meaning it's encouraged but treated with slightly more flexibility.

• Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali — generally treat Aqiqah as sunnah mu'akkadah (a strongly emphasised sunnah), close to obligatory in practice, based on the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ performing it for Hasan and Husain (RA).

• Number of animals — most scholars recommend two sheep or goats for a boy and one for a girl, though offering one for either is widely considered valid and sufficient.

• Timing — while the seventh day is preferred across all schools, there's broad agreement that Aqiqah remains valid and recommended even if delayed well beyond this, including into adulthood if it was never performed.

Because of these differences, it's always worth checking with a knowledgeable local scholar if you have a specific question about your own circumstances.