QUESTION:
Assalāmualaykum Warahmatullāhi Wabarakātuhu
Muhtaram Wa-mukarram Ulamā Sallamahum
Hope that this email finds with Aafiyah.
Can you elaborate on the Duā of Aqīqah. The Duā is not mentioned in any Hadīth, as you are aware, our Akābir prescribed this Duā.
Send us details research on this aspect please.
Jazākumullāh khayran
ANSWER:
Wa Alaikum As Salaam Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barkatuhu.
Respected Mufti Sahab,
Hope everything is fine with you.
With respect to the Dua of Aqiqah, that which is mentioned in some Ahadith is the following:
بسم الله و الله اكبر اللهمّ لك و إليك هذه عقيقة فلان
‘Bismillah wallahu akbar. Allahumma laka wa ilaika hadhihi Aqeeqatu fulan’
Translation: In the name of Allah and Allah is the greatest. O Allah, this is for you and it is to you. This is the Aqeeqah of so and so (name of the child).
The above narration is mentioned by Imam Al Baihaqi in his Sunan Al Kubra and it states that Amrah has narrated from Aisha (R.A.), who reported from the Prophet (S.A.S.) that he said, ‘Aqeeqah for a boy are two sheep of equal age and for a girl is one sheep’. And the Messenger of Allah (S.A.S) did Aqeeqah for Al Hasan and Al Husain with two sheep on the seventh day, and he instructed that the impurities be removed from his head. He then said, ‘Slaughter on his name and say, ‘Bismillah wallahu Akbar, Allahumma laka wa ilaika. Hadhihi Aqeeqatu fulan’.
Imam Al Baihaqi then said,’The words of the Hadith is that of Abdul Majeed bin Abdul Azeez. However, in the narration of Abu Qurrah, it is stated that the Prophet (S.A.S.) slaughtered two sheep on behalf of Al Hasan, and two on behalf of Al Husain. He slaughtered these on the seventh day and named them. (Sunan Al Kubra – Al Baihaqi. باب ما جاء فى وقت العقيقة و حلق الرأس و التسمية Chapter, ‘That which comes about the time of Aqeeqah and the shaving of the head and naming the child Vol. 9 pgs. 303, 304 Dar Al Fikr Beirut).
The above narration of Aisha (R.A.) has also been mentioned by Hafiz Nurruddeen Al Haithami in his famous Majma Az Zawaa’id (Majma Az Zawaa’id Vol. 4 Pg. 63 Dar Al Kitab Al Ilmiya Beirut 2009).
Ibn Abi Shaiba has also mentioned two narrations in his ‘Al Musannaf’ which indicate to the above mentioned dua. Under the chapter of what should be said upon the Aqeeqah (animal) at the time of slaughter, he mentions the tradition of Yazeed bin Haroon from Hisham Al Dastawaa’ee from Qatadah who says, ‘The name of Allah should be uttered on the Aqeeqah (animal to be slaughtered) just as it is uttered upon the Udhiyah (Qurbani animal). The person says, ‘Bismillah Aqeeqatu fulan’ (in the name of Allah. This is the Aqeeqah of so and so (the child’s name).
In the other tradition, it is narrated that Qatadah was asked, ‘How is the Aqeeqah slaughtered?’ He (Qatadah) said, ‘One should turn towards the Qiblah, place the knife on the throat of the animal (to be slaughtered) and then say:
اللهم منك و لك عقيقة فلان بسم الله الله اكبر
Allahumma minka wa laka Aqeeqatu fulan Bismillah Allahu akbar.
After saying this, he must then slaughter the animal’.
Translation: ‘O Allah! This if from you and for you. This is the Aqeeqah of so and so (child’s name).
Bismillah Allahu akbar.
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaiba
باب مل يقال على العقيقة إذا ذبحت
Chapter – What is said on the Aqeeqah when it is slaughtered Vol. 5 Pgs 533, 534 Maktaba Imdadiya Multan)
Imam An Nawawi has also refered to the above dua and considered it Mustahab to recite. In this regard, he wrote, ‘It is Mustahab to utter the name of Allah and say, ‘Allahumma laka wa ilaika Aqeeqatu Fulan (say the name of the child)’. As a proof, he cited the narration of Aisha (R.A.) in which she said, ‘the Prophet (S.A.S.) did the Aqeeqah for Al Hasan and Al Husain and said, ‘Say, Bismillah Allahumma laka wa ilaika Aqeeqatu fulan’.
(Al Majmoo’ Sharh Al Muhadhab – (Imam An Nawawi) Vol. 9 pg. 340 Dar Al Kitab Al Ilmiyah Beirut 2007).
Allama Zafar Ahmad Uthmani (A.R.) has quoted the above dua in his monumental work, ‘Ilaa’ As Sunan’ and stated, ‘And it is Mustahab to call Allah’s name and mention it at the time of Aqeeqah and say, ‘Allahumma laka wa ilaika Aqeeqatu fulan’ (say the child name). This is based on the Hadith of Aisha (R.A.) where it is narrated that the Prophet (S.A.S.) did the Aqeeqah for Hasan and Husain and then said, ‘Say Bismillah Allahu Akbar Allahumma laka wa ilaika, Hadhihi Aqeeqatu fulan’. (This is the Aqeeqah of so and so). Imam Al Baihaqi has narrated it with a good Sanad.’ (‘Ilaa As Sunan Vol. 17 Pg. 120 Idara Al Quran Karachi 1432 AH).
As for the dua which is mentioned with the words: Allahumma Hadhihi Aqeeqatu ____________ (call the child’s name). Damuha bi Damihi, Wa Lahmuha bi Lahmihi, Wa Adhmuha bi Adhmihi, Wa Jilduha bi Jildihi wa Shar’uha bi Shar’ihi’, ‘Inni Wajahtu Wajhiya Lillazi Fataras Samawaati Wal Ardh. Haneefanw wa Maa Ana Minal Mushrikeen. Inna Salaati wa Nusuki Wa Mahyaya Wa Mamaati Lillahi Rabbil A’lameen, Laa Shareeka Lahu Wa Bi Dhalika Umirtu Wa Ana Awwalul Muslimeen. Allahumma Minka Wa Laka.’ Then say, ‘Bismillah Allahu Akbar’ and slaughter the animal.
This has been quoted by the great scholar, Maulana Mufti Ashraf Ali Thanwi (A.R) in his famous ‘Khutubaat Al Ahkaam’ under the Dua of Aqeeqah.
The above book ‘Khutubaat Al Ahkaam’ was reprinted in 2008 by Zam Zam Publishers with a ‘Taleeq’ and ‘Tahqeeq’ done by Muhammad Uthman Al Bastawi of Darul Uloom Zakariyya South Africa.
Under the above mentioned dua (of Aqeeqah) of Hazrat Mufti Ashraf Ali Thanwi (A.R), (in the new print), it was mentioned in the ‘Tahqeeq’ as being taken from Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah, Darimi and Ahmad. However, I did not find the above mentioned dua in these books of Ahadith. What is mentioned in these books (of Ahadith) is that which should be recited at the time of slaughtering the Qurbani animal which is, ‘Inni wajjahtu wajhiya Lilladhi Fataras samawaati wal arda hanifaw wamaa ana minal mushrikeen. Inna Salaati Wa Nusuki Wa Mahyaya Wa Mamati Lillahi Rabbil A’lameen. La sharika lahu Wa bizaalika umirtu Wa Ana minal muslimeen’. It seems that references were made to this alone, and not to the actual dua of Aqeeqah, but this was not clear in the citation (in the new print with Tahqeeq)
The first part of the above dua has been mentioned by the great 13th century Hijri scholar, Qadhi Abd Rabb An Nabi Nakri (D. 1273 A.H) in his famous work Dusturul Ulama (Jami Al Uloom). In it, he states, ‘And Aqeeqah is sunnah on the 7th day or on the 14th day or on the 21st day. It is evident that the Prophet (S.A.S) did an Aqeeqah on behalf of himself after he was commissioned as a Prophet, and this was special with him. One says at the time of slaughtering the Aqeeqah:-
اللهمّ هذه عقيقة ابنى فلان دمها بدمه و لحمها بلحمه و عظمها بعظمه و جلدها بجلده و شعرها بشعره اللهمّ اجعلها فدا لابنى من النار
Allahumma Hadhihi Aqeeqatu Ibni Fulan. Damuha bi damihi wa Iahmuha bi lahmihi wa Adhmuha bi Adhmihi wa Jilduha bi Jildihi wa sha’ruha bi sha’rihi. Allahummaj’alha Fida’a li ibni minan Nar.
(Kitab Dusturul Ulama – Jami Al Uloom Fi Istilaahaat Al Funoon Vol. 2 page. 238 – Al Maktaba Ash Shamila)
The above is what I have found on this topic as you have asked.
And Allah Knows best
Mufti Waseem Khan
28/03/2023