How Many Aqiqah Animals for a Boy and a Girl?

This is the most repeated question about aqiqah, and the one most people answer from memory without detail. The short answer: two animals for a boy and one for a girl. But the detail is worth two minutes of reading, because there are cases many people get wrong.

What is the original number of aqiqah animals?

From Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered them: "Two comparable sheep for a boy, and one sheep for a girl." Narrated by al Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.

"Comparable" means the two should be close in age and size. You cannot bring one large, well fed animal and a second small, thin one and claim you did aqiqah with two.

This is the number most scholars settled on, as stated in the fatwa Conditions, Timing, and Description of Aqiqah (Arabic): "It is like the qurbani animal, meaning its required age matches the qurbani age, a yearling sheep or a two year old goat, on behalf of the male, meaning for the boy two are slaughtered, and for the girl one."

What if only one animal is possible for a boy?

It is still valid according to most scholars, though two is the sunnah when able. They cited that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did aqiqah for al Hasan and al Husayn with one ram each, narrated by Abu Dawud and al Nasa'i.

So one animal is valid and carries no blame, but if you are able to do two that is more complete.

Do a cow or a camel count?

Sheep are the base for aqiqah, and the hadiths speak of them specifically. Some scholars permitted a camel or a cow by analogy to qurbani, while others prevented it because the point of aqiqah is shedding full blood for that specific newborn.

For the same reason, many jurists prevented sharing in aqiqah, meaning seven people cannot share one camel and count it as aqiqah for seven different newborns.

What about twins?

Each child gets an independent aqiqah. Twin boys means four animals in principle, and a boy and a girl means three.

The same fatwa detailed the cases: "Twins are the same, each one gets two, if the twins are both boys that is two boys, and if it is a boy and a girl that is three, two for the boy and one for the girl, and if the twins are both girls, two animals suffice, one for each."

Case	Number of animals
One boy	Two, or one if needed
One girl	One
Twin boys	Four
Twin girls	Two, one for each
Boy and girl twins	Three

Why does the pair need to be comparable?

Because the intent is two equal aqiqahs in value and meaning, not one main animal and a second token one added just to complete the count. If you bring one large, well fed sheep and a second thin, small one, you have technically slaughtered two, but you have stepped outside the meaning of "comparable" mentioned in the hadith.

For this reason it matters that the two animals be the same type and close in age, not a mix of two different types or two far apart ages just because the count is complete. In our boy's aqiqah bundle, the two animals are chosen from the same type from the start, so the buyer does not need to think about this detail.

What if you can afford more than two?

The sunnah count is fixed at two for a boy and one for a girl, and it is not recommended to add extra aqiqah animals beyond this number. Our view is that anyone who wants to give more is better off making the extra a separate sadaqah, not an additional aqiqah, since aqiqah is a defined act of worship with a specific number stated in the text.

This differs from qurbani, which has no upper limit on the number of animals, so each type of sacrifice has its own rules, and mixing them up is one of the most common sources of confusion for first time buyers. If you have a newborn and also want to do qurbani in the same season, both are required separately, and neither one covers the other or overlaps in count.

Does the father have to slaughter it himself?

No. The same fatwa states that it is best for the father to slaughter it, but "if someone other than the father does it, there is no harm... if his mother does it for him, or his brother, or his maternal uncle, or his paternal uncle, that suffices." The Shaykh was also asked whether appointing someone is enough, and answered: "Appointing someone else is enough."

So a father who is busy or away from his country at the time of the aqiqah can appoint someone to slaughter on his behalf, and the number still follows the child's sex.

How we arranged it at Qurba

The boy's aqiqah bundle is two comparable animals, and the girl's bundle is one animal, and the name you write is spoken at execution and shown on the tracking page specific to your order along with the filmed clip.

If your situation only allows one animal for a boy, order a single lamb aqiqah, which is valid as explained above.

Boy's aqiqah bundle · Girl's aqiqah bundle · All aqiqah animals

Questions people ask

How many aqiqah animals for a boy?

Two comparable animals close in age and size, which is best according to most scholars. One animal is valid when two are not possible.

How many aqiqah animals for a girl?

One animal, with no difference between being able to afford more or not, since this is the original number for a female.

How many animals are needed for boy and girl twins?

Three animals, two for the boy and one for the girl, since each newborn has an independent aqiqah from the other.

Can seven newborns share one camel?

Many jurists prevented this, since aqiqah is meant to shed full blood for each specific newborn, unlike qurbani.

Can someone other than the father slaughter the aqiqah?

Yes, a fatwa from Ibn Baz states that appointing someone is enough, and the aqiqah is valid whether the father, the mother, or a relative slaughters it with his permission.

Is it allowed to add more than two animals for a boy?

The sunnah number is fixed at two, and adding more aqiqah animals is not recommended. It is better for any extra to be a separate sadaqah.

Related: When aqiqah is due and does it lapse after day seven · Aqiqah animal requirements · Boy's aqiqah bundle

This article is general information, not a fatwa. On disputed points, consult scholars you trust.