Can you give money to charity instead of doing an aqiqah?

The four schools agree on this.

Explanation

The Prophet ﷺ said that with a child there is an aqiqah, so shed blood for him. The act of worship is the sacrifice itself, like qurbani, not just spending money for the child's sake. This is why the four schools agree that cash, food parcels, a chicken or a fish do not count as aqiqah.

Your options:

• Do the aqiqah: one or two goats or sheep, or one or two shares in a cow or camel. See how many goats for aqiqah.
• Do it more cheaply: appoint a trusted charity to slaughter abroad where animals cost less. That still counts. See aqiqah through a charity abroad.
• Do it later: if money is tight now, wait until you can afford it. See late aqiqah.
• Give sadaqah instead: if you will never be able to slaughter, give what you can in charity with a dua for the child. It is rewarded as sadaqah, but call it what it is.

Do not go into debt for an aqiqah or a big party. The Prophet ﷺ linked it to the parent's wish: whoever has a child and wishes to sacrifice for it may do so.

The shaving of the baby's head with silver given in charity is separate and costs very little, so you can do it even without an aqiqah. See shaving the baby's hair, and plan the cost with the aqiqah calculator.

The evidence

Where the ruling is recorded

• Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Udhiyah, closing discussion on aqiqah. Aqiqah follows the rules of udhiyah, which is fulfilled only by shedding blood.
• Bada'i al-Sana'i, Kitab al-Tadhiyah. Giving the value in charity does not take the place of a sacrifice.

Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.