I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Two resembling sheep are to be sacrificed for a boy and one for a girl.
AbuDawud said: I heard Ahmad (ibn Hanbal) say: The Arabic word mukafi'atani means equal (in age) or resembling each other.
Hadith Text & Context
"I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Two resembling sheep are to be sacrificed for a boy and one for a girl."
This hadith from Sunan Abi Dawud 2834 addresses the practice of 'Aqiqah, the Islamic sacrifice offered upon the birth of a child, establishing the recommended quantity based on the child's gender.
Linguistic Analysis
The term "mukafi'atani" denotes two sheep that are similar in age, size, and quality. As Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal clarified, this means they should be equal and resemble each other, ensuring neither is superior nor inferior to its pair.
This linguistic precision reflects the Islamic principle that acts of worship should be performed with excellence and without deficiency.
Juridical Rulings
The scholars have derived from this hadith that the 'Aqiqah for a male child is two sheep, while for a female child it is one sheep. This differentiation reflects the comprehensive wisdom of Islamic law in various acts of worship.
The requirement for the two sheep to be similar ensures that the sacrifice maintains its intended spiritual and charitable value, preventing the offering of one good and one poor-quality animal.
Spiritual Wisdom
This ruling demonstrates Allah's mercy in making acts of worship accessible while maintaining standards. The differentiation between male and female does not indicate superiority, but rather reflects the diverse rulings in Islamic jurisprudence that account for different circumstances.
The 'Aqiqah serves as gratitude to Allah for the newborn, protection for the child, and a means of strengthening family and community bonds through sharing the meat.