Can I Donate Cost of Aqeeqah to a Charity?
27 June, 2021
QI am planning to offer aqeeqah for my newly born son. Can I donate the price of the aqeeqah to any charity?
ANSWER

Sheikh Mustafa Umar
27 June, 2021
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. 

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

In this fatwa:

You may give the money to a charitable organization or a person who will take on the responsibility of sacrificing an animal for you and distributing the meat on your behalf.

Answering your question, Sheikh Mustafa Umar, President of California Islamic University, states:

Thank you for your question.

Firstly, congratulations on the birth of your child. May Allah bless you in His gift to you, may you give thanks to the giver of this gift, may the child reach maturity, and may you be granted his righteousness.”

It is recommended [according to most Muslims scholars] to sacrifice an animal as aqeeqah as thanks for your newborn child. Since the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned that an animal sacrifice is to be done, and there is no other indication that it is intended for general charity, you cannot donate the price of an animal sacrifice [aqeeqah] to any organization or give that money to the poor.

Instead, you may give the money to a charitable organization or person who will take on the responsibility of sacrificing an animal [or two] for you and distributing the meat on your behalf.

Many people who find difficulty in sacrificing an animal themselves will have another person to do it for them, with them supplying the money.