40/1. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4212 — Aqiqah for a Boy and Girl
For a boy, two sheep
Aqiqah Rules in the Hadith: Two Sheep for a Boy, One for a Girl
Sunan an-Nasai : 4212
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4212
أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، قَالَ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ الْعَقِيقَةِ فَقَالَ " لاَ يُحِبُّ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الْعُقُوقَ " . وَكَأَنَّهُ كَرِهَ الاِسْمَ قَالَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِنَّمَا نَسْأَلُكَ أَحَدُنَا يُولَدُ لَهُ . قَالَ " مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَنْسُكَ عَنْ وَلَدِهِ فَلْيَنْسُكْ عَنْهُ عَنِ الْغُلاَمِ شَاتَانِ مُكَافَأَتَانِ وَعَنِ الْجَارِيَةِ شَاةٌ " . قَالَ دَاوُدُ سَأَلْتُ زَيْدَ بْنَ أَسْلَمَ عَنِ الْمُكَافَأَتَانِ قَالَ الشَّاتَانِ الْمُشَبَّهَتَانِ تُذْبَحَانِ جَمِيعًا .
'Amr bin Shu'aib Narrated from:
It was narrated from 'Amr bin Shuaib, from his father, that his grandfather said: "The messenger of Allah was asked about the 'Aqiqah and he said: "Allah, the mighty and sublime, does not like Al-Uquq' as if he disliked the word (Al-Aqiqah). He said to the Messenger of Allah: 'But one of us may offer a sacrifice when a child is born to him.' He said: 'Whoever wants to offer a sacrifice for his child, let him do so, for a boy; two sheep, Mukafaatan, (of equal age), and for a girl, one.'(One of the narrators) Dawud said: 'I asked Ziad bin Aslam about the word Mukafaatan and he said: 'Two similar sheep that are slaughtered together.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4212In-book reference : Book 40, Hadith 1English translation : Vol. 5, Book 40, Hadith 4217
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4212
This hadith about aqiqah explains the sacrifice offered when a child is born. When the Messenger of Allah was asked about Al-Aqiqah, he appeared to dislike the word because it sounded like Al-Uquq. The questioners then described what they meant: a person may offer a sacrifice for a newborn child. The Prophet said that whoever wants to offer a sacrifice for his child may do so. For a boy, the text states two sheep described as Mukafaatan. The narrator explained this as two similar sheep slaughtered together. For a girl, the text states one sheep. The hadith therefore gives both the number and a description of the pair for a boy, while wording the act through “whoever wants” to offer it.
What we learn from this hadith
- The hadith allows a parent to offer a sacrifice for a newborn child.
- Two similar sheep are stated for a boy.
- One sheep is stated for a girl.
- Mukafaatan is explained in the narration as two similar sheep slaughtered together.
