The seventh day
The aqiqah day, step by step
The sacrifice, the shaving, the name and a dua for your child, each with its source.
The animal
Healthy, and free of four defects. The Prophet ﷺ named the defects that make an animal unfit for sacrifice: clearly blind in one eye, clearly ill, clearly lame, or so thin it has no marrow (Sunan Abi Dawud 2802). Scholars apply the same conditions of age as for qurbani.
If you are arranging one, give your aqiqah openly and see it carried out.
The sacrifice of the aqiqah
In Allah’s name. The animal is sacrificed in the Islamic way, saying “Bismillah, wallahu akbar”, as the Prophet ﷺ did at his own sacrifice (Sahih Muslim 1966). The parent who provides for the child usually does it, or appoints someone to.
Shaving the head
Its weight in silver, as charity. The baby’s head is shaved on the seventh day (Sunan Abi Dawud 2838). When al-Hasan was born, the Prophet ﷺ told Fatimah to shave his head and give its weight in silver in charity (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 1519).
The name
On the seventh day, or the day of birth. The Prophet ﷺ named his son Ibrahim on the night he was born (Sahih Muslim 2315), and said the names most beloved to Allah are Abdullah and Abdur-Rahman (Sahih Muslim 2132).
Tahnik
A softened date, with care. The Prophet ﷺ chewed a date and rubbed a little on the palate of a newborn brought to him, named him and prayed for blessing for him (Sahih al-Bukhari 5467). Take care with a baby’s health if you do this today.
A dua for your child
Pray for them, and for yourselves. Among the duas in the Quran is the believers’ prayer for spouses and children who are a comfort to the eyes (Quran 25:74):
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَزۡوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعۡيُنٖ وَٱجۡعَلۡنَا لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا ٧٤
Walladhina yaquluna rabbana hab lana min azwajina wa dhurriyyatina qurrata a‘yunin waj‘alna lil-muttaqina imama.
And those who say: “Our Lord, give us joy in our spouses and our children, and make us an example to those who are mindful of You.”