SLAUGHTERING ANIMAL FOR A BABY

Faculty of Syariah and Law , Sunan Ampel Islamic University of Surabaya

Ahmad Yani Street No.117, Surabaya City, East Jawa

Vira Anggita Febriyanti, Ziil Muhammad F.A

05040520069@student.uinsby.ac.id, 05040520070@student.uinsby.ac.id

Introduction

Aqiqah is a form of religious ritual practice, in addition to other rituals such as grave
pilgrimage, worship, sacrifice and other worship is an institution or embodiment of faith. Aqiqah
is quite popular among Indonesian people. The public's considerable attention to this ritual is
based on a view that aqiqah is a ritual that has the legitimacy of Islamic Shari'ah, so it is thick
with ubudiyyah values.

In the end, this view gives birth to expectations of rewards and blessings, both for the
baby and the parents. The ritual also contains wisdom that is intrinsic as an approach (taqarrub)
to God and also contains instrumental as a personal and community education effort towards
commitment or inner binding to righteous deeds.

Historically, aqiqah was one of the pre-Islamic Arab rituals carried out by slaughtering a
goat which at the time of the birth of their son then the blood of the slaughter was applied to the
baby's head. With the advent of Islamic Sharia, the practice was changed to slaughtering goats
and cutting the hair of the baby and the baby was spiked with za'faran oil. Another change is that
during the jahiliyah period it was only intended for baby boys, this tradition was changed so that
baby girls got the right to be aqiqah.

Aqiqah comes from the word aqiq which means hair of a newborn baby, therefore aqiqah
always means holding a baby's birth by slaughtering an animal (at least a goat). According to the
term syara‟, it means slaughtering cattle on the seventh day of the birth of a child, on that day the
child is given a name and his hair is cut.

The law of Aqiqah is sunnah muakkad, even though parents are in difficult
circumstances, "aqiqah is carried out by the Messenger of Allah and his Companions". As is
known, the birth of a baby is very encouraging news for parents because it should be celebrated
by being congratulated as a sign of gratitude to Allah SWT. But poverty and wealth among
Muslims make aqiqah difficult to implement even if the law is obligatory for the poor.

The Prophet's orders regarding the slaughter of aqiqah have been agreed upon by all
schools as a recommendation (amar-linnadab) not (amar-liwujub) or a mandatory command. If
there is a family who does not sacrifice aqiqah for their children, then there is no sin or debt for
him to pay for it in old age or after being rich.

The Meaning Of Aqiqah

Aqiqah is an animal slaughtered for a newborn child. Aqiqah comes from the Arabic 'al-
aqiqah which means hair that grows on the baby's head from inside the mother's belly until it
appears at birth.

According to the language aqiqah means feather or hair of a newborn child. Whereas in
the meaning of the term it means slaughtering an animal for the birth of a boy or a girl when he
is 7 (seven) days old or 14 (fourteen) days or 21 (twenty one) days. They even cut their hair and
give names to new born children. According to the scholars, the etymological understanding of
aqiqah is the hair on the baby's head that grows from birth.

Imam Ibn Qayyim in the book Tuhfatul Maudud p. 25-26, says that: Imam Jauhari said:
Aqiqah is to slaughter an animal on the seventh day and shave its head. Furthermore, Ibn
Qayyim said: "From this explanation it is clear that aqiqah is called that because it contains the
two elements above and this is more important".

Imam Ahmad and many scholars are of the opinion that when viewed from a syar'i
perspective, what is meant by aqiqah is the meaning of sacrificing or slaughtering. The
implementation of aqiqah is sunnah on the seventh day of birth, this is based on the words of the
Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam, namely:

‫ ُكلُّ ُغالَ ٍم َر ِه ْينَةٌ بِ َعقِ ْيقَتِ ِه تُ ْذبَ ُح َع ْنهُ يَ ْو َم‬:‫هللا ص قَا َل‬ ٍ ‫َع ْن َس ُم َرةَ ب ِْن ُج ْن َد‬
ِ ‫ب اَ َّن َرس ُْو َل‬
ُ َ‫َسابِ ِع ِه َو يُحْ ل‬
‫ق َو يُ َس َّمى‬
 From Samurah bin Jundab he said: The Messenger of Allah said: "All babies are mortgaged with their
aqiqah on the seventh day an animal (goat) is slaughtered, given a name and their hair is shaved."
[Shahih, Hadits Riwayat Abu Dawud 2838, Tirmidzi 1552, Nasa’I 7/166, Ibnu Majah 3165, Ahmad
5/7-8, 17-18, 22, Ad Darimi 2/81, and etc.].

This hadith implies a clear understanding of aqiqah, namely an animal that is slaughtered
as a ransom for the pawning of the authenticity of the inner relationship between parents and
children. And the slaughter is carried out on the seventh day of the birth of the child at the same
time as shaving his head and giving him a name.

Aqiqah Law

Scholars differ on the legal status of aqiqah.

 According to Daud Adz-Dzahiri and his followers, aqiqah is obligatory, while according
to the majority of scholars, the law of aqiqah is sunnah.
 According to Abu Bakar Jabir Al-Jazairi in his book Minhajul Muslim, said that the law
of aqiqah is a sunnah muakkad for people who are able to carry it out, namely for parents
of children born
 Imam Abu Hanifah stipulates that the law of aqiqah is worship, meaning it is not
obligatory and not sunnah.

It can be concluded that the implementation of aqiqah is the teaching of the Prophet
Muhammad. Judging from the legal side, aqiqah is divided into two, namely sunnah and
obligatory. This division is based on the arguments and interpretations that have been carried out
by the scholars.

In sunnah, the law of aqiqah is sunnah muakkad, or sunnah that must be prioritized. That is,
if a Muslim is able to do it (because he has sufficient wealth) then he is recommended to do
aqiqah for his child when the child is still a baby. Meanwhile, for people who are less or unable,
the implementation of aqiqah can be eliminated.

obligatory, according to the hadith narrated by Ahmad which reads "All babies are
mortgaged with their aqiqah which on the seventh day is slaughtered an animal (goat), given a
name and shaved." Aqiqah must be carried out, based on this hadith, the scholars interpret that a
child cannot intercede for his parents if he has not been diaqiqah. However, this opinion is still
inferior to the opinion that aqiqah is a sunnah, so it is rejected by many scholars.

Among some of the opinions of the Tabi'ain, namely 'Atha', Al-Hasan Al-Bashir, and Ibn
Sirin, and also the opinion of Imam Shafi'i, Imam Al-Qaffal Ash-Shasyi (Shafi'i School) and a
history from Imam Ahmad said that: "A person who is not diaqiqahi in childhood, then it is
permissible to do it alone when he is an adult". Perhaps they adhered to the hadith of Anas which
reads: "The Messenger of Allah aqiqahi himself after he was appointed as a prophet, namely
after the revelation of the letter Al-Baqarah". (Hadith narrated by Abdur Razaq (4/326) and Abu
Shaykh from Ibn Qatadah from Anas).

Abu Shaykh from Ibn Qatadah from Anas) From the book I'anathutholibin (Syarah from the
book Fathul Mu'in 2/336 explains: "That the Messenger of Allah, carried out aqiqah on himself
after he was appointed a prophet". SAW performed aqiqah at the age of 40 years.

The Hadith of Al Baihaqi from Anas which states that the Prophet SAW slaughtered aqiqah
for himself was da'if. When viewed from the sanad there is a person named 'Abdullah bin Al
Muharrar who was declared weak by several hadith experts such as Ahmad, Ad Daruquthni, Ibn
Hibban, and Ibn Ma'iem

From these opinions, we can choose the one according to our respective beliefs. However,
there is a tendency to the opinion of Imam Shafi'i, namely that there is no need to aqiqah himself.

Returning to the sunnah of aqiqah, which lies with the parents/guardians who bear it, where
its implementation is closely related to the procession of shaving the hair and naming the baby.
They say that aqiqah is signaled by parents, so it does not need to be carried out by the child after
he reaches the age of puberty. They also say that the hadith that is used as the basis for the first
opinion is not authentic.

Amount and Terms of Aqiqah

The basis of the implementation of aqiqah actually has similarities with qurban, in which
there are similarities in terms of the type of animal aqiqah / qurbannya. It can even be understood
that the type of aqiqah animal is a goat, 2 (two) for a baby boy and 1 (one) for a baby girl.

This is as the words of the Prophet Muhammad which means;

 Whoever among you loves his child by performing worship, then do it by (beraqiqah)
slaughtering two goats which are both old enough for the son and one goat for the daughter.
(Narrated by Abu Dawud and al-Nasai)

Animals to be slaughtered for aqiqah must meet the following criteria:

1. He is old enough, between the ages of 6-12 months for goats. Usually marked by the
decay or loss of the front teeth. Biologically, an animal that has been slaughtered or has
fulfilled the requirements of aqiqah is that it has matured sex. That is, that the organs and
reproductive systems of the animal are perfect and ready
2. The sex of the aqiqah animal may be male with horns or female (not pregnant or
breastfeeding)
3. health
4. Not skinny and not flawed. The animal is not limping, the body parts are perfect, the ears
are not deaf or missing earlobe, either one or all of them, the tail or horns are intact, not
more than one-third broken, all teeth are not missing, and the goat is not crazy or stressed
when slaughtered.

It should be added that aqiqah animals are more afdhal if they have white hair, because this is
more favored by Allah SWT. In a hadith Rasulullah SAW said: "The blood of animals with
white hair is more beloved to Allah than the blood of animals with jet black hair". (Narrated by
Ahmad and Ibn Majah).

Aqiqah Slaughter

Things to consider when slaughtering are as follows:

1. Prepare and sharpen the slaughter tools

2. Cover the body and head of the slaughtered animal with a wide cloth or leaf
3. Do not show slaughter to other animals(because when slaughtering two animals for a
baby boy, the other animal should be placed in another place first)
4. Controlling the animal to be slaughtered to make it easier for the slaughter procession.
5. Lay the animal to be slaughtered on the left stomach attached to the ground, so that the
slaughterer's left hand is next to the animal's head which is located to the south.
6. Slaughter facing the Qiblat.
 7. When slaughtering should read basmallah, recite takbir, and read prayers.
8. Read sholawat and greetings to Rasulullah SAW.
9. Place the knife firmly on the animal's neck by moving it to cut the respiratory and food
passages without leaving the animal's neck until the passage is completely cut off.
10. The slaughterer must be a Muslim, preferably someone who maintains his faith and
Islam, and is physically and mentally healthy. Especially for the slaughter of aqiqah
animals, in addition to these sunnahs, the time of slaughter is also practiced at sunrise.
(Kifayatul Akhyar Juz II page. 243)

Things that need to be considered in the procession of slaughtering and cutting the body parts
of the aqiqah animal is that it is makruh to destroy the bones of the aqiqah animal. We try to do
this by cutting the body parts of the slaughtered animal, cutting the joints and not destroying
them. All bones must be tried to be intact without being broken. Meat that wraps around the bone
or that is between the bones must be taken with care.

The bones must be separated from their joints, not by breaking in the middle. This contains
the sunnah of lessons and hope (tafa'ul) so that later the baby who is aqiqah will grow up
normally and healthy without any defects or bone disease..

Aqiqah Meat Distribution

It is not the same as sacrificial meat which is distributed in a raw state, aqiqah meat is sunnah
to be distributed after it has been cooked, either by means of walimah or just to be distributed to
others.:

 the poor, the orphanage and the underprivileged

 Brothers & relatives
 Neighborhood or neighbors
 One third enjoyed alone

By distributing the aqiqah meat, especially to the poor, it is hoped that the poor who are
donated with aqiqah meat will always pray for goodness to the baby.
 Moreover, if we believe that the prayers of the poor and dhu'afa are more easily
answered, then there will be more and more hope for the formation of a pious personal self for
the baby who is diaqiqah.

Wisdom From Aqiqah

According to Drs. Zaki Ahmad in his book "Tips for Teaching Sholeh Children"
mentions the benefits that will be obtained by having aqiqah, including:

1. Freeing children from pawnshop

2. Parents' defense later in the day
3. Avoiding children from calamity and destruction, as the sacrifice of Prophet Ismail and
Ibrahim
4. Payment of parents' debts to their children
5. Expression of joy for the establishment of Islam and the release of descendants who in
the future will multiply the people of the Prophet Muhammad SAW
6. Strengthening the relationship between community members in welcoming the arrival of
a new born child
7. Source of social security and eradicating poverty in society
8. Releasing the baby from the temptation of the devil in the affairs of this world and the
here after

Conclution

Aqiqah is a series of activities celebrating the birth of a child by slaughtering an animal

which is carried out on the seventh day, then the meat is donated to the poor along with shaving
the hair of the child's head and giving the child's name. Aqiqah is quite popular among
Indonesian people.

Children are a mandate given by Allah SWT to parents to be cared for, cared for,
protected, and educated. Every parent yearns for a pious, filial son and brings happiness to his
parents. Aqiqah is one of the teachings of Islam that was exemplified by the Prophet
Muhammad.
 Aqiqah is sunnah muakad (close to mandatory). Aqiqah is a form of gratitude for the
blessings that Allah SWT has given to His servants in the form of a child's sustenance. By
getting these blessings, someone who carries out aqiqah worship is expected to be able to share
joy with relatives, neighbors, and close friends so as to foster a bond of love.