It is related by Aa'ishah radhiyallahu anhaa: "During the age of perversion, the custom was that when people performed the Aqeeqah of a newly born child, they dipped a piece of cotton-wool in the blood of the sacrificed animal, and when the head of the child was shaved, it was placed on its head. (Since it was an uncivilised custom), the Apostle of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam remarked: 'Do not apply blood on the child's head. Apply Khalooq on its place.'"
Saheeh Ibne Hibbaan
Commentary:
We moreover learn from Bayhaqi that the
Aqeeqah ceremony was also observed among the Jews, but they sacrificed an animal only in case of a male
child, which probably was indicative of the lesser value that was generally placed on the girls in the pre-Islaamic
times. The holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam
corrected this too, and enjoined that the Aqeeqah of the girls
should also be performed like that of the boys.
However, keeping in mind the
natural difference between the two sexes which has
been given a due regard in
inheritance and law of evidence, etc., as well, the
holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam
laid down that while one goat was to be sacrificed in the Aqeeqah of a female child, two should be
sacrificed in the Aqeeqah of
a male child, provided that one's financial condition allowed it.
Umme Kurz radhiyallahu anhaa narrates that she heard the Apostle of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam saying about Aqeeqah: "Two goats should be sacrificed on behalf of a male child, and one on behalf of a female child, and it does not matter whether the animal was male or female."
Tirmizi, Nasa'ee
It is related by
Abdullah Ibne Amr Ibne Aas radhiyallahu anhumaa that the Apostle of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: "To whom soever a child is born, and he wants to perform the sacrifice of Aqeeqah on behalf of it, he should sacrifice two goats for a boy and one goat for a girl."Aboo Daawood, Nasa'ee
Commentary
:In the next Tradition, it is explicitly stated that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam
sacrificed only one goat in the Aqeeqah
ceremonies of Hasan and Husayn radhiyallahu anhumaa.
Aqeeqah (Part 3)