release and ease, and likewise from protection against Satan.

His statement, “It is a Sunnah”: that is, it is an emphasized Sunnah for the father, so much so that Imam Ahmad said, “He should borrow if he has no money, and I hope that Allah will compensate him for it, because he has revived a Sunnah.” But if the father is not present, is it prescribed for the remaining paternal relatives, or for the mother?

What appears to be the case is that if the father is absent—for example, if he died while his son was still in the womb—the mother takes the father’s place in this matter.

His statement, “The aqiqah is a Sunnah”: is financial ability a condition for this, or does it apply even to the poor?

We say: if the obligatory duties prescribed by the Sacred Law are conditional upon ability, then recommended acts are even more so. Thus, we do not tell the poor person, “Go and borrow.” But if a person has nothing at present, while expecting to have it soon—such as an employee whose child is born in the middle of the month, whose salary only covers his needs, and who presently has no money but will have it at the end of the month—should we tell him, “Borrow the price of the aqiqah and buy it until your salary comes,” or should we tell him, “Wait until your salary comes”? The latter is better, because it enables him to discharge his responsibility, and one does not know: perhaps, between the child’s birth and the arrival of his salary, circumstances may arise that require money—he may fall ill, his car may break down, or something similar. Therefore, it is preferable to say: do not borrow; even if you expect to be able to repay soon, wait. The aqiqah is not required on the day