Can a Goat with Broken Horn Be Used for Aqiqah?
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
Slaughtering an Animal with a Severed Horn for ‘Aqeeqah & Using the Meat of ‘Aqeeqah for Walimah
Darulifta Ahlesunnat (Dawateislami)
Question
What do the noble scholars and jurists of Islamic law say about the following:
(1) We bought a goat for ‘Aqeeqah. Its horn broke off from the root due to fighting with another animal, and the wound has not healed yet. So, can this goat be slaughtered for ‘Aqeeqah?
(2) Can the meat of an animal slaughtered for ‘Aqeeqah be used for Walimah?
Answer
(1) If the horn of an animal breaks from the root and the wound has not yet healed, it cannot be slaughtered for ‘aqeeqah. This is because the requirements for the category, age, and being free from any defects in ‘aqeeqah are the same as those of the qurbani. Therefore, just like such a goat cannot be slaughtered in qurbani, it cannot be slaughtered for ‘aqeeqah either. However, it can be slaughtered after the wound has healed if all other requirements are fulfilled.
‘Aqeeqah can be performed with those animals with which qurbani can be performed. Thus, it is stated in Sunan Tirmizi:
لا يجزئ في العقيقة من الشاة إلا ما يجزئ في الأضحية
Translation: It is only permissible to slaughter such a goat for ‘aqeeqah, which can be slaughtered for qurbani. (Sunan Tirmizi, Chapters of sacrifices, Vol. 3, p. 364, Publ. Dar al-Risalah al-‘Aalamiyah)
‘Aqeeqah is similar to qurbani. Thus, it is stated in Sharh al-Sunnah Lil-Baghwi:
و قال الحسن ۔۔وسئل عن العقيقة، فقال: هي مثل الأضحية، كل منها و أطعم
(Sharh al-Sunnah Lil-Baghwi, Chapter of ‘Aqeeqah, Vol. 11, p. 267, Publ. Beirut)
The Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رحمة اللہ تعالى عليه was asked:
کیا حکم ہے شرع مطہر ہ کا دربارہ عقیقہ کے جانور ذبح کئے جائیں ان کی عمر کیا ہونا چاہئے، اور اگر کسی عضو میں نقصان رکھتے ہوں وہ کام میں آسکتے ہیں یا نہیں؟
Translation: What is the ruling of the pure sharī’aĥ regarding: What should be the age of the animal that is being slaughtered for ‘aqeeqah? If any of the limbs are defective, can it be used or not? Answering this, he stated:
ان امور میں احکام عقیقہ مثلِ قربانی ہیں، اعضا سلامت ہوں، بکرا بکری ایک سال سے کم کی جائز نہیں، بھیڑ، مینڈھا چھ مہینہ کا بھی ہوسکتا ہے، جبکہ اتنا تازہ و فربہ ہو کہ سال بھر والوں میں ملادیں تو دور سے متمیز نہ ہو۔
Translation: In these matters, the rulings of ‘aqeeqah are like qurbani; the limbs must be free from defect. A male or female goat that is less than one year old is not permissible. A ram and sheep can be six months old, provided that they are so healthy and well-nourished that if they are mixed with one-year-old sheep, they cannot be distinguished from far away. (Fatawa Razawiyah, Vol. 20, p. 584, Publ. Raza Foundation, Lahore)
Regarding the qurbani of the animal whose horn is broken from the root, it is stated in Badai’ al-Sanai’, Durar al-Hukkam, and al-Fatawa al-Hindiyah (the following is cited from Badai’):
و تجزي الجماء و هي التي لا قرن لها خلقة و كذا مكسورة القرن تجزي، فإن بلغ الكسر المشاش لا تجزيه و المشاش رءوس العظام
(Badai’ al-Sanai’, Book of sacrifice, Vol. 5, p. 76, Publ. Egypt)
A’la Hazrat, the Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan عليه الرحمة الرحمن states:
سینگ ٹوٹنا اس وقت قربانی سے مانع ہوتا ہے جبکہ سر کے اندر جڑ تک ٹوٹے، اگر اوپر کا حصہ ٹوٹ جائے تو مانع نہیں۔
Translation: Breaking of the horn affects the permissibility of qurbani when it breaks from the root inside the head. If only the upper part breaks, it will not harm the permissibility. (Fatawa Razawiyah, Vol. 20, p. 460, Publ. Raza Foundation, Lahore)
(2) It is permissible to use the meat of ‘aqeeqah for a walimah because ‘aqeeqah is to sacrifice an animal in gratitude for birth, and this has been fulfilled by the slaughtering of the animal. Now, the one performing the ‘aqeeqah is the owner of the meat, and therefore, he can use it for the feast of the walimah. However, it is best to divide the meat into three portions, as is done with qurbani meat, and give one portion to the poor, one to relatives, and feed the third portion to family. It is stated in Bahar-e-Sharī’at:
عقیقہ۔۔ کا گوشت فقرا اور عزیز و قریب دوست و احباب کو کچا تقسیم کر دیا جائے یا پکا کر دیا جائے یا ان کو بطورِ ضیافت و دعوت کھلایا جائے یہ سب صورتیں جائز ہیں۔
Translation: Whether the ‘aqeeqah meat is distributed raw to the poor, the relatives, and friends, or it is prepared and fed to them as a feast, all of these are permissible. (Bahar-e-Sharī’at, Vol. 3, p. 357, Publ. Maktaba-Tul-Madinah, Karachi) Regarding using the meat of ‘aqeeqah for walimah, the Grand Mufti of Pakistan, Mufti Muhammad Waqar-Uddin Qadri رحمة اللہ تعالى عليه was asked:
اگر کوئی شخص ولیمہ کے کھانے میں عقیقہ کا گوشت ملا کر مہمانوں کو کھلائے، تو ازروئے شرع اس کا کیا حکم ہے؟
Translation: What is the ruling according to sharī’aĥ if one mixes the meat of ‘aqeeqah with the food for walimah and then serves it to the guest? Answering this, He رحمة اللہ تعالى عليه stated:
عقیقہ کے گوشت کا وہی حکم ہے، جو قربانی کے گوشت کا حکم ہے۔ قربانی اور عقیقہ کی عبادت اللہ تعالی کے نام پر ذبح کر دینے سے ادا ہو جاتی ہے۔ گوشت عقیقہ اور قربانی کرنے والے کی ملکیت ہوتا ہے، اسے فروخت نہیں کر سکتا اور نہ کسی کام کے معاوضہ میں دے سکتا ہے، خود کھائے، دوسروں کو کھلائے، غریب و مالدار جس کو چاہے دے۔ فقہاء نے قربانی کے گوشت کو تین حصوں میں تقسیم کرنے کو مستحب لکھا ہے، واجب کسی نے نہیں لکھا اور قربانی اور عقیقہ کا حکم ایک ہے، لہذاولیمہ میں عقیقہ کا گوشت شامل کرنا اور کھلانا جائز ہے۔
Translation: The ruling for the meat of ‘aqeeqah is the same as that of qurbani meat. The qurbani and ‘aqeeqah are fulfilled by slaughtering the animal with the name of Allah. The meat is in the ownership of the one performing the qurbani and ‘aqeeqah; neither can he sell it nor give it in exchange for anything. He can eat it himself, feed it to others, or give it to whoever he wants, whether poor or rich. The jurists have written that it is Mustahab to divide the meat into three portions, but no one wrote that it is wajib. The ruling of qurbani and ‘aqeeqah is the same. Therefore, adding the meat of ‘aqeeqah to the walimah food and then feeding it is permissible. (Waqar-Ul-Fatawa, Vol. 3, p. 138, Publ. Bazm-e-Waqar-Uddin, Karachi)
He also states:
عقیقے میں صرف اللہ تعالیٰ کے نام پر جانور ذبح کردینے سے سنت ادا ہوجاتی ہے۔ گوشت عقیقہ کرنے والے کی ملکیت ہے مستحب یہ ہے کہ قربانی کی طرح اس کے بھی تین حصے کئے جائیں، ایک حصہ غرباء کو، ایک حصہ رشتہ داروں کواور ایک حصہ خود کھانے کے لیے رکھ لیں۔ اور اگر سارا گوشت تقسیم کردیں یا سارا گوشت خود پکا کر کھالیں جب بھی عقیقہ ہوجائے گا۔ لہذا صورت مسئولہ میں اگر وہ عقیقہ کے گوشت رشتہ داروں کو کھلائے تو جائز ہے۔
Translation: The sunnah of ‘aqeeqah is fulfilled merely by slaughtering the animal with the name of Allah. The meat is in the ownership of the one performing the ‘aqeeqah. It is Mustahab to divide the meat into three portions, like for qurbani. One portion for the poor, one for the relatives, and one to keep to consume themselves. If they distribute all the meat or cook it and eat it themselves, the ‘aqeeqah will still be fulfilled. Therefore, in the inquired situation, it is permissible to feed the ‘aqeeqah meat to the relatives. (Waqar-Ul-Fatawa, Vol. 3, p. 140, Publ. Bazm-e-Waqar-Uddin, Karachi)
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَ اٰلِہٖ وَ سَلَّم
(Allah Almighty knows best and His Messenger صَلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہِ وَ اٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم knows best.)
Answered By: Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari
Ref No: GUJ-0063
Date: 13th Jumad al-Oola 1447 AH / 5th November 2025