I am about to have my son circumcised. There is a tradition in our family to celebrate this occasion by inviting friends and family to a feast. Is this practice good or bad, a sunnah or a Bid'ah a source of reward or a source of sin?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The Sunnah is to slaughter two sheep for the boy and one sheep for the girl on the seventh day after the baby's birth. This is called ‘Aqeeqah as proved from the saying and practice of the Prophet Mohammed . This (Aqeeqah) is not a custom; it is a form of worship ordained by the Prophet . So, it is a confirmed Sunnah.

For more benefit, please refer to Fatawa 81275 and 81462.

There is no certain banquet legislated in Sharee’ah for circumcision. If it happens that a baby gets circumcised on the day of ‘Aqeeqah, and the banquet is prepared with the intention of ‘Aqeeqah, and not for circumcision, then this is permissible.

Otherwise, it is not permissible as narrated in Musnad Ahmad that ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affaan was invited on the occasion of circumcision and he refused that invitation and said: “We did not use to attend the circumcision ceremony during the Era of the Prophet”.

For more benefit on the 'Aqeeqah, please refer to Fatawa 134400, 137090, 436102, 175709, 188507, 353419 and 376363.

Allah knows best.