The Book of al-'Aqiqah - Sunan an-Nasa'i 4217

"I came to the Prophet and asked him about the sacrificial meat. I heard him say: 'For a boy, two sheep, and for a girl, one sheep, and it does not matter if they are male or female."'

Commentary on the Hadith

This noble hadith establishes the Sunnah of 'aqiqah, the sacrificial offering made upon the birth of a child. The Prophet ﷺ clearly prescribed two sheep for a male child and one for a female, demonstrating the recommended quantity.

The phrase "it does not matter if they are male or female" refers to the gender of the sacrificial animals, indicating that either male or female sheep are acceptable for the 'aqiqah. This provides flexibility in fulfilling this recommended act of worship.

Scholars have derived from this that the 'aqiqah is a confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah mu'akkadah) that should be performed on the seventh day after birth if possible. The wisdom behind differentiating between male and female reflects the general principle in Islamic law where males typically receive twice the share of females in matters of inheritance, though here it manifests as a celebration and thanksgiving to Allah for the newborn.

The meat should be distributed among family, friends, and the needy, following the general principles of charity and community sharing that characterize Islamic sacrificial rites.