Are there any rulings regarding the animals sacrificed for aqeeqa ceremony? Do the goats or sheep have to be below one year of age (heard from someone). Please let me know what the rulings are regarding the choice of animals for aqeeqa. I know that it is recommended 2 for a boy and 1 for a girl. Please let me know if the age or type of animals matter. Jazak Allahu Khairan

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

The animals that are acceptable to be slaughtered for 'Aqeeqah are the same which are acceptable to be slaughtered for the sacrifice of 'Eed. So it is permissible to slaughter the beasts of cattle, like camels, cows, sheep, and goats according to the view of the majority of the scholars . The Fiqh Encyclopaedia reads: ''This is the view which is agreed upon by the Hanafi, Shaafi'ee and Hanbali Schools of jurisprudence, and this is the preponderant view of the Maaliki School of jurisprudence.''

Similarly, the age of cattle that is acceptable for 'Aqeeqah is the same age which is acceptable to be slaughtered for the sacrifice of 'Eed, which is five years for camels, two years for cows, one year for goats and six months for sheep. Ibn Qudaamah said: 'The ruling of 'Aqeeqah is the same ruling as the sacrifice of 'Eed in relation to the age of the animal, and the animals that are forbidden to be slaughtered for the sacrifice of 'Eed are the same which are forbidden to be slaughtered for the 'Aqeeqah, and the characteristics that are desirable in an animal for the sacrifice of 'Eed are the same which are desirable for the sacrifice of 'Aqeeqah.’

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