Q: 10 – Title: Is it permissible to perform Aqeeqah at a later stage in life?

Question

If a baby was born, but due to financial circumstances, aqeeqah was not done by parents. Now the baby has grown up to an adult and has the means, should he/she do their own aqeeqah?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salamu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullahi wa-barakatuh.

Performing aqeeqah is not mandatory. If a person’s aqeeqah has not been performed as a child and wishes to perform it on a later stage of his life, he may do so. [1]

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Abdul Hannan Nizami,
Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, USA

Checked and Concurred by,
Moulana Abdul Azim bin Abdur Rahman

Moulana Ismail Desai

[1] الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (6/ 336)

يُسْتَحَبُّ لِمَنْ وُلِدَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ أَنْ يُسَمِّيَهُ يَوْمَ أُسْبُوعِهِ وَيَحْلِقَ رَأْسَهُ وَيَتَصَدَّقَ عِنْدَ الْأَئِمَّةِ الثَّلَاثَةِ بِزِنَةِ شَعْرِهِ فِضَّةً أَوْ ذَهَبًا ثُمَّ يَعِقُّ عِنْدَ الْحَلْقِ عَقِيقَةً إبَاحَةً عَلَى مَا فِي الْجَامِعِ الْمَحْبُوبِيِّ، أَوْ تَطَوُّعًا عَلَى مَا فِي شَرْحِ الطَّحَاوِيِّ، وَهِيَ شَاةٌ تَصْلُحُ لِلْأُضْحِيَّةِ تُذْبَحُ لِلذَّكَرِ وَالْأُنْثَى سَوَاءٌ فَرَّقَ لَحْمَهَا نِيئًا أَوْ طَبَخَهُ بِحُمُوضَةٍ أَوْ بِدُونِهَا مَعَ كَسْرِ عَظْمِهَا أَوْ لَا وَاِتِّخَاذِ دَعْوَةٍ أَوْ لَا

(فتاوي محموديه، ج17ص510، ادارة القرآن)