Aqeeqah: Differences Between Boys and Girls
By Mufti Taqi Usmani
Posted: 23 Rabi-u-Thani 1422, 15 July 2001
| Q.) Recently one of my friends was contacted by a sikh lady and she
said, "If you can answer this question I will become a Muslim." The question was
why in Islam at the time of aqeeqah two goats are sacrificed for a male child while only
one is required for a female child? Please can you explain to me the reason. Jazakallah
[Yahya, UK] |
A.) Before answering your question it will be pertinent to make three
points:
- Aqeeqah is not an obligatory performance. It is only a Sunnah.
- The sacrifice offerred at the time of Aqeeqah is a form of worship.
- The forms of worship prescribed by Allah are just to test the obedience of the followers
and it is not correct to seek reason behind them. The very purpose of worship is to
display one's total obedience and submission to Allah which includes that a person abides
by His command even though he does not fully realise the wisdom behind it. One does not
need to know or understand why two Rakats only are obligated for Fajr, three Rakats for
Maghrib and four Rakats for Zuhr, Asr and Isha.
Keeping these points in mind it is not at all necessary to know or fully understand the
reason that why two goats are offerred as sacrifice for Aqeeqah of a male child and only
one goat in the case of a female child. This is a Sunnah prescribed by the Holy Prophet 
as any other form of worship.
It should be clearly understood that the reason for this distinction is not that the
female child has been treated inferior to a male child because the Holy Prophet
has clarified in a number of ahadith that the female child is a blessing from Allah and by
no means is lower than a male child. The Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah have also condemned
the practice of pagan Arabs who expressed their grief when they were informed of the birth
of a daughter. The Holy Prophet has in a number of
ahadith explained the merits of a daughter and the rewards promised for a person who looks
after his daughter or daughters with love and affection.
