When Is Aqiqah Due, and Does It Lapse If You Miss Day Seven?

The sunnah time for aqiqah is the seventh day after a child's birth, counted by most scholars from the day of birth itself. If the seventh day passes, aqiqah does not lapse. It is recommended to slaughter on the fourteenth day, then the twenty first, and if it is delayed further it still counts whenever you manage it.

The question usually comes up on day five or six, the house still hasn't settled after the birth, and someone in the family asks: two days left until the seventh, have you arranged anything?

When is the original day for aqiqah?

It is reported from Samurah ibn Jundub, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Every child is held in pledge for his aqiqah, which is slaughtered for him on his seventh day, his head is shaved, and he is named." Narrated by Abu Dawud, al Tirmidhi, and al Nasa'i.

The most common way scholars count is from the day of birth itself, so a child born on Saturday has his aqiqah the following Friday. Some jurists start counting from the day after birth, and the difference between the two views is a single day, both are considered valid.

What if the seventh day passes?

It does not lapse. That is the first thing any father who is running late needs to hear.

A number of scholars recommended the fourteenth day, then the twenty first if that is missed too, following the pattern of weeks. Others held that it is valid whenever it becomes possible after that, because the point is to show gratitude and joy for the child, and that meaning is not lost by missing a day.

This matches what is stated in the fatwa Statement on Aqiqah (Arabic) on Shaykh Ibn Baz's site: "There is no fixed limit after the seventh day. If he slaughters it after a week, on the seventh day, or after two weeks, or after a month, two months, or more, there is no harm. There is no limit to that. Rather the sunnah is that he slaughters it even if delayed."

The practical takeaway: if you miss the seventh day, do not get lost in complicated calculations and do not drop it. Slaughter whenever you can.

Can a person do aqiqah for themselves after growing up?

Scholars differ on this. Some held that aqiqah is a sunnah on the father specifically, so if he did not do it, it lapses. Others considered it commendable for a man to do aqiqah for himself if he learns his father never did it for him, and if he leaves it there is no sin on him.

This question comes up often from grown men who discover their fathers never did their aqiqah. The short answer: do it if you wish, it is good either way. There is no fixed time like the seventh day in this case, since the point is simply a delayed expression of gratitude, not catching up on a missed deadline.

Can someone other than the father do the aqiqah?

Yes. It is stated in the fatwa Conditions, Timing, and Description of Aqiqah (Arabic): "The father is best. If someone other than the father does it, there is no harm. The father is best, he is the one primarily responsible, but 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 else is enough, and he answered: "Appointing someone else is enough."

So if the father is busy or away from his country on the seventh day, he can appoint someone to slaughter on his behalf, and the aqiqah is valid with his permission.

Does it matter if the birth was a caesarean and recovery took longer?

It does not change the underlying ruling at all. The seventh day is counted by the number of days from the birth itself, regardless of the type of delivery or the mother's condition afterward. But the practical reality differs, since a caesarean birth usually means slower recovery and more to manage, and that falls under the same excuse for delay mentioned earlier, which does not cause the aqiqah to lapse.

Why do most people end up late for day seven?

The reason is familiar to anyone who has been through it. The first week after birth is complete chaos, between the hospital, the paperwork, an exhausted mother, and a stream of visitors. The sacrifice needs someone to go and choose an animal, follow up on the slaughter, and distribute the meat, all in what might be the worst possible week to ask a new father to find the time.

Our view on this

The seventh day is a sunnah worth working toward. But if sticking to it means a rushed aqiqah, an animal you never saw and have no idea where its meat went, it is better to wait two days and do it properly.

At Qurba you write the name and choose the animal, and you get a link to a tracking page specific to your order showing the time of execution and a filmed clip, with the name you wrote spoken aloud at the slaughter. The order takes two minutes, and that is exactly what solves the problem of delay caused by being busy with a new baby.

See aqiqah animals and prices

Questions people ask

Does aqiqah lapse if the seventh day passes?

It never lapses. It is recommended on the fourteenth day, then the twenty first, and if delayed further it still counts whenever it becomes possible.

Which day do we start counting the seven days from?

The more common method among scholars is to count from the day of birth itself, so a child born on Saturday has his aqiqah the following Friday. The two counting methods differ by only one day.

Can a person do aqiqah for themselves if they find out their father never did it?

Yes, some scholars considered this commendable, and leaving it carries no sin, since aqiqah is originally a sunnah on the father, not the child.

Is it valid to appoint someone else to slaughter the aqiqah?

Yes, a fatwa from Ibn Baz states that appointing someone is enough, and the aqiqah is valid whether the mother, a brother, a maternal uncle, or a paternal uncle slaughters it with the father's permission.

What is the best time to slaughter aqiqah if day seven is not possible?

The fourteenth day first, then the twenty first if that is missed, and if delayed further it is still valid whenever it is slaughtered.

Does a caesarean birth change the day seven calculation?

No, day seven is counted by the number of days from the birth itself regardless of delivery type, and the mother's recovery does not factor into the underlying calculation.

Related: Aqiqah animals · How many aqiqah animals for a boy and a girl · Aqiqah animal requirements · Sample tracking page

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