for a camel may be offered in an ʿaqiqah only on behalf of one child. Even so, a sheep is preferable, because the ʿaqiqah is a redemption for a life, and redemption requires correspondence and equivalence: one life is redeemed by one life. Were we to say that a camel may be shared by seven, one life would be redeemed by seven lives. For this reason, the jurists said that a camel used for an ʿaqiqah must be offered in its entirety; otherwise, it is not valid. Thus, if a person has seven daughters, all of whom require an ʿaqiqah, and he slaughters one camel on behalf of all seven, it is not valid.

But does it suffice for one of them, or should we say that this act of worship has not been legislated in this manner, so that the animal is merely slaughtered for its meat and an ʿaqiqah is slaughtered for each daughter?

The latter is more likely: it does not suffice for any one of them, because it was not performed in the manner prescribed by the Shariah. He should therefore slaughter one sheep for each daughter. The camel he slaughtered remains his property, and he may sell its meat, since it has become clear that it was not valid as an ʿaqiqah.

“Neither the one-eyed animal, the emaciated animal, the lame animal, the broken-toothed animal, the dry-uddered animal, the sick animal, nor an animal with more than half of its ear or horn cut off is valid. However, an animal born without a tail, one without horns, a castrated male whose penis has not been severed, and one whose ear or horn has had less than half removed are valid.”

His statement, “Neither the one-eyed animal, the emaciated animal, the lame animal, the broken-toothed animal, the dry-uddered animal, the sick animal, nor an animal with more than half of its ear or horn cut off is valid”: it is well known that declaring an animal invalid requires evidence. For when an animal possesses the qualifications for validity, we do not set aside the ruling entailed by those qualifications—namely, its validity—unless there is a sound, legislated impediment.

His statement, “not valid,” means not valid as an Eid sacrifice. If a person were to slaughter such an animal and give its meat in charity, that would be valid. An Eid sacrifice, however, is a particular act of worship defined and regulated by the Shariah.