How is Aqiqah distributed?

Answer

Praise Be to Allah and Peace Be Upon His Messenger.

Al-Aqiqah (the birth sacrifice for a newborn baby) is a confirmed act of Sunnah according to most scholars. Samurah RAA narrated that the messenger of Allah said: “every baby is pawned against his ‘Aqiqah’ to be slaughtered on his behalf on the seventh day of its birth, its head is to be shaved, and he must be given a name.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi graded this hadith as sahih.

It is an act of Sunnah to slaughter two sheep for a baby boy, and one sheep for a baby girl. It was narrated from Umm Kurz that the messenger of Allah said: “For a boy, two similar sheep (almost same age, weight, and health) and for a girl, one sheep.”  Sunnan Abi Dwaood

It is an act of Sunnah to slaughter the sheep on the seventh day of birth, or on the fourteenth, or on the twenty first. Abdullah ibn Buraidah narrated from his father who narrated from the prophet who said: “The Aqiqah is sacrificed on the seventh, or fourteenth, or on the twenty first) Musnad At-Tabarani

If it is not slaughtered on one of these days because of financial crises or for any other reason, it is allowed to sacrifice on any other day without determining a date. However, the earlier a Muslim sacrifices (because of the new born baby) the better and more preferable as it is considered a deed of release from a duty.

The sacrifice (to be slaughtered because of a new born baby) has the same conditions of the sacrifice which is slaughtered on the days of Eid al-Adha. (the tenth, eleven, twelfth, and thirteenth of Dhul-Hijja). It should not be lame, one-eyed, mangy, or emaciated as if there is no marrow in its bones; its wool should not be cut, its skin should not be sold, and no grams of its meat should be sold. It is permitted for the Muslim who sacrifices to eat some of his Aqiqah, give the poor as a charity, and offer other parts as gifts. Thus, it is preferable to divide it into three parts: one third is to be given to the family and relatives, the second third is to be given to friends and neighbors, and the third part is to be given to the poor and the needy.