Question:
What age should the goats be for giving Aqeeqah?
Answer:
In Islam, there is an act of worship called Aqeeqah. Aqeeqah means that when a male child is born, two goats should be slaughtered and distributed to the poor and relatives. It can also be cooked and served as a meal or feast. When a female child is born, one goat should be slaughtered.
He is asking: What age should the goat be suitable for Aqeeqah?
For Qurbani, the age of the animal is specified. There are clear guidelines about what age the animal must be for Qurbani. However, for Aqeeqah, there is no specific hadith that mentions an exact age requirement for the goat. Even though there is no specific age mentioned for Aqeeqah, it is better and safer to use the same standard as Qurbani. Since Qurbani is also an act of worship, the guidelines given for Qurbani can be used as a reference for Aqeeqah.
This means that very small young kids should not be slaughtered. The animal should have reached maturity. Whether it is a goat, sheep, cow, or camel, once it reaches maturity, it becomes suitable.
Different animals reach maturity at different ages. Some reach maturity at six months, some at one year, and some at two years. For goats specifically, maturity usually comes around one year or sometimes two years. Even for Qurbani, the Prophetﷺ said that you should slaughter an animal that has completed one year, and if that is difficult, a six-month-old sheep may be used in certain cases.
So based on this, the proper guideline is that the animal used for Aqeeqah should be mature, just like the animal used for Qurbani. Very small young animals should not be used. A mature goat is the correct choice.