It is narrated from Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, (1) that if the twenty-first day is missed, then it may be done on any day thereafter, since a person may be unable to slaughter on the seventh, fourteenth, or twenty-first day.
“It is to be cut up limb by limb, without breaking any of its bones; and its rulings are like those of the sacrificial animal, except that no sharing in its sacrificial animal is valid. …”
His statement, “It is to be cut up limb by limb, without breaking any of its bones,” means that it is divided into its limbs: its bones are not broken; rather, it is cut at the joints. This too is narrated from Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her. (2) They said that this is done as an auspicious sign for the child’s wellbeing and freedom from broken bones. However, there is no evidence in this matter that reassures the heart. For this reason, some scholars said that it should be cut up as other animals are cut up, without dividing it limb by limb. Strangely, some people have said that it should be cooked with something sweet—that is, sugar should be added to it—as an auspicious sign that the child will have a sweet character. This is a weak view, since there is no evidence for it. Nor should we be so excessive in matters of seeking auspicious signs.
His statement, “Its rulings are like those of the sacrificial animal,” means that the rulings of the aqiqah are like those of the sacrificial animal in most respects, including: