Giving sadaqah to widow with ‘aqeeqah money

 I am going to be a father. my first baby is coming. according to islamic laws I will do sadqa of one goat for dougter and 2 goats for son, I want to ask that if I give same amout to a poor widow from my family. so is it will be fine or I must need sadqa of goats. 

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.  

The slaughtering of animals at the time of the birth of a child is called ‘aqeeqah. To do ‘aqeeqah is mustahab.[1]

Consider the following hadith:

عَنْ سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ الْغُلاَمُ مُرْتَهَنٌ بِعَقِيقَتِهِ يُذْبَحُ عَنْهُ يَوْمَ السَّابِعِ وَيُسَمَّى وَيُحْلَقُ رَأْسُهُ ‏”‏ ‏.

Narrated Samurah: That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The boy is mortgaged by his ‘Aqiqah; slaughtering should be done for him on the seventh day, he should be given a name, and his head should be shaved.”[2]

It is advisable that a third of meat of the slaughtered animal for ‘aqeeqah be given to the poor and needy. The other two thirds be served to family, relatives and friends.[3] By giving the money of ‘aqeeqah to a widow, the ‘aqeeqah will not be fulfilled.

If you wish to assist the widow, you may even give one third or even more of the ‘aqeeqah meat to the widow in reference. Alternatively, you may support the widow with some other charity and donation.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Muhammad Haris Siddiqui

Student Darul Iftaa
Melbourne, Australia

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.