In any case, if the questioner still wishes to offer the ʿaqiqah for his daughters and considers it a good act, he may do so; yet the position that weighs more heavily with me is that it is not legislated.

Question: With regard to the ʿaqiqah for a living child, what is the best time to perform it?
Answer: The best time is on the seventh day; this is the optimal, textually established time. If it is delayed beyond that, there is no harm, and there is no final deadline. Some scholars, however, maintain that its time lapses once the child grows up and therefore do not see an ʿaqiqah for an adult as valid, whereas the majority hold that there is no objection to performing it even after the person has reached maturity.

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Limiting Offspring

Question: What is the ruling of the Sacred Law on limiting offspring? Please inform us—may Allah benefit you.
Answer: Seeking children and progeny is something prescribed, for it increases the numbers of the Muslim community. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) urged marrying affectionate, fertile women, saying, “For I will boast of your great numbers before the nations.” Thus, pursuing offspring is sanctioned for Muslims and should be taken seriously and encouraged.

As for limiting offspring (tahdīd al-nasl), this is a malicious scheme planted among us by the enemies of Islam, whose aim is to weaken the Muslims and reduce their numbers. Limiting offspring is not permissible in Islam; it is forbidden because it conflicts with the Sharʿī objective of increasing the members of the ummah and multiplying the productive elements in society, and because it disables the power that Allah, exalted is He, created for the cultivation of this world. Children are sought-after, and through them benefits accrue to individuals, groups, and the ummah as a whole. Hence, this notion—the notion of limiting offspring—is an idea