Is Aqiqah Mandatory?

Is Aqiqah Mandatory?

Some people complain: "I was not given an aqiqah by my parents when I was a child." Some even go as far as taking on debt just to perform aqiqah for their children. What is the actual ruling on aqiqah? This needs to be understood so that one can apply the proper scale of priorities in performing deeds, thus avoiding takalluf (overburdening oneself) in doing righteous acts. Indeed, acting without knowledge leads to corruption. Worship is not only a matter of reward and virtue but is also bound by the benefits (maslahah) or harms (mudharat) it causes. This is where knowledge plays an indispensable role. Regarding aqiqah, scholars have differing views on its legal ruling.

First Opinion: Aqiqah is Makruh (Disliked)

This is the view of some scholars from the Hanafi school. Imam Al-Kasani Al-Hanafi stated:

وَالْعَقِيقَةُ كَانَتْ قَبْلَ الْأُضْحِيَّةِ فَصَارَتْ مَنْسُوخَةً بِهَا كَالْعَتِيرَةِ وَالْعَقِيقَةِ مَا كَانَتْ قَبْلَهَا فَرْضًا بَلْ كَانَتْ فَضْلًا وَلَيْسَ بَعْدَ نَسْخِ الْفَضْلِ إلَّا الْكَرَاهَةُ بِخِلَافِ صَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ وَبَعْضِ الصَّدَقَاتِ الْمَنْسُوخَةِ حَيْثُ لَا يُكْرَهُ التَّنَفُّلُ بِهَا بَعْدَ النَّسْخِ لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ كَانَ فَرْضًا

"Aqiqah existed before the legislation of the Udhiyah (sacrifice/qurban), so it became abrogated by it, similar to the custom of ‘atirah. Aqiqah was not mandatory before that, but merely a virtue. The abrogation of a practice that is only a virtue indicates that the practice has become makruh (disliked). This differs from the fasting of Ashura and some abrogated charities, where performing them as voluntary worship after abrogation is not disliked because those practices were originally mandatory." (Badai’ As-Shanai’, 5/127)

Evidence & Reasoning: The argument is that the legislation of aqiqah was abrogated by the legislation of qurban. This claim is based on a narration attributed to the Prophet ﷺ:

نَسَخَ الْأَضْحَى كُلَّ ذَبْحٍ وَصَوْمُ رَمَضَانَ كُلَّ صَوْمٍ وَالْغُسْلُ مِنَ الْجَنَابَةِ كُلَّ غُسْلٍ وَالزَّكَاةُ كُلَّ صَدَقَةٍ

"The Udhiyah (qurban) abrogates every other sacrifice, the fast of Ramadan abrogates every other fast, the bath of janabah (ritual impurity) abrogates every other bath, and Zakat abrogates every other charity." (HR. Al-Bayhaqi in al-Kubra: 19019 and Ad-Daruquthni: 4747 from Ali bin Abi Thalib).

However, this narration is weakened by hadith scholars, including Al-Hafizh Az-Zailai from the Hanafi school. Additionally, there is a hadith from Abdullah bin Amru, where he said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about aqiqah. He replied:

لَا يُحِبُّ اللهُ الْعُقُوقَ

'Allah does not like uquq (a word sharing the same linguistic root as aqiqah).'" (HR. An-Nasai: 4212 and Abu Dawud: 2842).

Second Opinion: Aqiqah is Not a Sunnah, but Recommended (Mustahab)

This is the view of the early (mutaqaddimin) Hanafi scholars and chosen by the later (mutaakkhirin) Hanafis. This is why a specific discussion on aqiqah is difficult to find in Hanafi books; they consider it not a specific part of Islamic legislation, but merely an ordinary custom. Imam Ath-Thahawi Al-Hanafi said:

قَالَ مُحَمَّد فِي الاملاءِ الْعَقِيقَةُ تَطَوُّعٌ وَكَانَتْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَعَلَهَا الْمُسْلِمُونَ فِي أَوَّلِ الْإِسْلَامِ فَنَسَخَهَا ذَبَحُ الْأَضْحَى فَمَنْ شَاءَ فَعَلَهَا وَمَنْ شَاءَ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ

"Muhammad (bin Al-Hasan) said in Al-Imla: 'Aqiqah is tathawwu’ (a social custom) that existed during the Jahiliyah period, and Muslims performed it in the early days of Islam. The legislation of qurban sacrifice has abrogated its ruling. Whoever wishes to do it may do so, and whoever does not wish to do it, it is no problem.'" (Mukhtashar Ikhtilaf Al-Aimmah, 3/232)

Imam Al-Quduri Al-Hanafi stated:

قَالَ أَصْحَابُنَا الْعَقِيقَةُ مُسْتَحَبَّةٌ وَلَيْسَتْ بِسُنَّةٍ

"The scholars of our school (Hanafi) are of the opinion that aqiqah is merely recommended (mustahab), not a sunnah." (At-Tajrid, 12/5356)

Evidence & Reasoning: The reasoning is similar to the first opinion—that aqiqah was abrogated by qurban. However, they reconcile this with the following hadith:

مَنْ وُلِدَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ فَأَحَبَّ أَنْ يَنْسُكَ عَنْهُ فَلْيَنْسُكْ عَنْ الْغُلَامِ شَاتَانِ مُكَافِئَتَانِ وَعَنْ الْجَارِيَةِ شَاةٌ

"Whoever is given a child and wishes to sacrifice for them, then let him sacrifice two identical sheep for a boy and one sheep for a girl." (HR. An-Nasai: 4212 and Abu Dawud: 2842).

The phrase "and wishes to sacrifice" indicates that aqiqah is tied to the preference of the person, not a specific Sunnah. Thus, it is no longer a "Sunnah" in the technical sense but remains a "recommended social custom" of gratitude.

Third Opinion: Aqiqah is Sunnah Muakkadah (Emphasized Sunnah)

This is the view of the majority of scholars (Jumhur), namely the Maliki, Shafi'i, and the official view of the Hanbali school, as well as Sufyan Ats-Tsauri, Ishaq bin Rahuyah, At-Thabari, and Abu Tsaur. Imam Ibnu Rusyd Al-Jadd (Maliki) stated:

فَهِيَ سُنَّةٌ مِنْ سُنَنِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَشَرَعٌ مِنْ شَرَائِعِهِ... وَهِيَ عِنْدَهُمْ مِنَ السُّنَنِ الَّتِي اْلأَخْذُ بِهَا فَضِيْلَةٌ وَتَرْكُهَا غَيْرُ خَطِيئَةٍ

"It is one of the Sunnahs of Islam and one of its legislations... to them, it is a Sunnah whose performance is a virtue and whose omission is not a sin." (Al-Muqaddimat Al-Mumahhidat, 1/447-448)

Imam Al-Mardawi (Hanbali) said:

(وَالْعَقِيقَةُ سُنَّةٌ مُؤَكَّدَةٌ) يَعْنِي عَلَى الْأَبِ وَسَوَاءٌ كَانَ الْوَلَدُ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقِيرًا

"And aqiqah is a Sunnah Muakkadah upon the father, whether the child is rich or poor." (Al-Inshaf, 4/110)

Evidence & Reasoning: The majority rely on several hadiths, including:

مَعَ الغُلاَمِ عَقِيقَةٌ، فَأَهْرِيقُوا عَنْهُ دَمًا وَأَمِيطُوا عَنْهُ الأَذَى

"With the boy there is an aqiqah, so spill blood (sacrifice an animal) for him and remove the harm from him." (HR. Al-Bukhari: 5471)

كُلُّ غُلَامٍ مُرْتَهَنٌ بِعَقِيقَتِهِ تُذْبَحُ عَنْهُ يَوْمَ السَّابِعِ وَيُسَمَّى وَيُحْلَقُ رَأسُهُ

"Every child is ransomed by his aqiqah. It is sacrificed for him on the seventh day, he is named, and his head is shaved." (HR. An-Nasai, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah).

These commands originally imply obligation, but the degree is lowered to "recommended" because of the phrase "Whoever... wishes to sacrifice" mentioned in the hadith of Abdullah bin Amru.

Fourth Opinion: Aqiqah is Wajib (Mandatory)

This is the view of the Dhahiri school, Al-Layth bin Sa’ad, one narration from Imam Ahmad, and some Hanbali followers. Imam Ibnu Hazm Ad-Dhahiri said:

الْعَقِيقَةُ فَرْضٌ وَاجِبٌ يُجْبَرُ الْإِنْسَانُ عَلَيْهَا إذَا فَضَلَ لَهُ عَنْ قُوتِهِ مِقْدَارُهَا

"Aqiqah is an obligatory duty; a person is required to perform it if they have wealth exceeding the amount needed for their daily food." (Al-Muhalla, 6/234)

Evidence & Reasoning:

أَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِتَسМІَةِ الْمَوْلُودِ يَوْمَ سَابِعِهِ وَوَضْعِ الْأَذَى عَنْهُ وَالْعَقِّ

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded the naming of the newborn on the seventh day, the removal of harm from him, and the performance of aqiqah." (HR. At-Tirmidhi: 2832).

The word "commanded" (amara) clearly signifies an obligation.

Conclusion

The correct view is that aqiqah is a prescribed legislation (disyariatkan), not just a social custom or something disliked. The Prophet ﷺ himself performed it for Al-Hasan and Al-Husain:

عَقَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ وَالْحُسَيْنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا بِكَبْشَيْنِ كَبْشَيْنِ

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed aqiqah for al-Hasan and al-Husain with two rams each." (HR. An-Nasai: 4219).

The claim that it was abrogated is weak because the supporting narrations are unreliable. Regardless of whether it is mandatory or highly recommended, scholars agree that it is only prescribed for those who are capable and have surplus wealth. One is not permitted to overburden themselves to perform aqiqah if they cannot afford it. Therefore, there is no need to be distressed if one hasn't performed it, as Allah says:

فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ

"So fear Allah as much as you are able..." (QS. At-Taghabun: 16)

And the Prophet ﷺ said:

مَا نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنْهُ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ وَمَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِهِ فأْتُوا مِنْهُ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ

"Whatever I have forbidden you, avoid it; and whatever I have commanded you, do as much of it as you can." (HR. Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Wallahu a’lam bis shawab.