Chapter: Is the ‘Aqiqah Legislated with [Animals] Other Than Sheep, Such as Camels and Cows?
On the authority of Ibn Abi Mulaykah, who said: A boy was born to ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakr. It was said to ‘A’ishah: “O Mother of the Believers, sacrifice a camel (jazur) as an ‘Aqiqah for him.” She replied: “Maadh Allah (God forbid)! Rather, [we do] what the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: ‘Two comparable sheep (shatan mukafa’atan).'”
Hasan: Recorded by At-Tahawi in Sharh al-Mushkil (1042) and Al-Bayhaqi (9/301) through the route of ‘Abdul-Jabbar bin Ward al-Makki, who said: I heard Ibn Abi Mulaykah say… and he mentioned it.
Its chain of narration (isnad) is Hasan because of ‘Abdul-Jabbar bin al-Ward, as he is truthful (saduq) and has good narrations (hasan al-hadith).
‘Abdur-Razzaq recorded in his Musannaf (7956) on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, who said: Yusuf bin Mahak informed us, saying: Ibn Mulaykah and I entered upon Hafsah bint ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakr. She had given birth to a boy for Al-Mundhir bin Az-Zubayr. I said: “Why do you not sacrifice a camel as an ‘Aqiqah for your son?” She replied: “Maadh Allah (God forbid)! My aunt ‘A’ishah used to say: ‘For a boy, two sheep, and for a girl, one sheep.'” Its chain of narration is Sahih.
Ibn al-Qayyim said in Tuhfat al-Mawdud (pp. 136-137): The jurists (fuqaha’) have differed regarding whether [animals] other than sheep can take their place in the ‘Aqiqah.
Ibn al-Mundhir said: They differed concerning the ‘Aqiqah with other than sheep. We have been narrated from Anas bin Malik that he used to sacrifice a camel as an ‘Aqiqah for his child.
And from Abu Bakrah, that he slaughtered a camel for his son ‘Abd al-Rahman, and fed the people of Basra. Then he relayed from Al-Hasan, who said: Anas bin Malik used to sacrifice a camel as an ‘Aqiqah for his child. Then he mentioned from the hadith of Yahya bin Yahya: Hushaym informed us, on the authority of ‘Uyaynah bin ‘Abd al-Rahman, from his father: that Abu Bakrah had a son born to him [named] ‘Abd al-Rahman, and he was the first newborn in Basra. So, he slaughtered a camel as an ‘Aqiqah for him and fed the people of Basra.
However, some of them rejected that, saying: The Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) ordered two sheep for a boy, and one sheep for a girl. It is not permissible to perform the ‘Aqiqah with anything else…
Ibn al-Mundhir said: Perhaps the evidence (hujjah) for those who consider the ‘Aqiqah to be fulfilled with camels and cows is the statement of the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam): “With the boy is his ‘Aqiqah, so spill blood on his behalf.” He did not specify one [type of] blood over another; therefore, whatever is slaughtered for the newborn, based on the apparent meaning of this report, suffices.
He [Ibn al-Mundhir] said: And it is permissible for one to say: “This is general (mujmal), whereas the statement of the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) : ‘For the boy are two sheep and for the girl is one sheep’ is explicit (mufassar), and the explicit takes precedence over the general.”
Malik said: Sheep for the ‘Aqiqah are more beloved to me than cows, and sheep/goats are more beloved to me than camels; however, cows and camels for the Hady (pilgrimage sacrifice) are more beloved to me than sheep/goats, and camels for the Hady are more beloved to me than cows.
I say (Shaykh Dr.Diya-ur-Rahman, as a conclusion): There is another observation regarding preferring sheep over camels and vice versa, which is the benefit of those being fed. If they are many, then a camel is better; and if they are few, then a sheep is better, taking into consideration their preference for the type of meat.
End of the chapter.
[6/680, 37-Kitab Al-‘Aqeeqah, 5-Is the ‘Aqiqah Legislated with [Animals] Other Than Sheep, Such as Camels and Cows? (From Al-Jami Al-Kamil Fee Ahadith As-Sahih Ash-Shamil of Shaykh Dr.Diya-ur-Rehman Al- Azami Rahimahullah)]
(Translated by Mohammed bin Thajammul Hussain Manna.)
Saheehus-Seerah 