Answered by: Maulana Moinul Abu Hamza
Question:
If a child is born Friday 6 pm, what will the seventh day be for aqeeqah? Next Thursday anytime? Or next Thursday at 6pm onwards, 24hrs?
Answer:
In The Name Of Allah, The Most-Merciful, The Most Kind
It is mustahab (encouraged) to do an Aqiqah. The Prophet of Allah (SWT) (PBUH) has said that a child is pledged to its aqiqah which is sacrificed on behalf of the child on the seventh day when it is given a name and the hair is shaved off its head. (Sunan Tirmidhi p.278 v.1)
The beginning of a new day is at sunset time (maghrib) so please check what time maghrib was at 6 pm. If it is still asr, then the day of the birth is considered a day (according to Imam An-Nawawi) and then count the next six addition days. The Aqiqah should be done on the 7th day. So this should correspond to Thursday before maghrib. As for times earlier or before, they can also be done, but the seventh is the optimal manner in which it is done as it has been mentioned in the hadith.
Only Allah (SWT) knows best
Answered By Maulana Moinul Abu Hamza
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham