REGARDLESS of religious background, it is indeed of no argument that the life of a new-born child is a blessing. For our Muslim brothers, the thanksgiving of a new life in the family is celebrated through Aqeeqah.
As defined, Aqeeqah is an Islamic tradition where a sacrifice of a goat or a sheep as thanksgiving for a child’s birth is performed. The animal’s meat is then cooked and served. Usually, an Aqeeqah is being done on the child’s seventh day, however, it is also allowed on the 14th or the 21st day of the child if the family can already slaughter the goat.
If the newborn is a girl, the family is expected to slaughter one goat or sheep, however, if the child is a male, two goats or two sheep are expected to be slaughtered. This represents the bigger responsibility put on the shoulders of Muslim men as they are the ones who will build up their families in the future.
Last Thursday, July 19, a Dabawenyo Muslim baby just had her Aqeeqah at the Halal House along Roxas Street, corner Quezon Boulevard. It was a happy celebration for the couple Cheema Español and Ricky Español as they did baby Hayam’s Aqeeqah with their close family and friends.
Before the main merrymaking and party-eating was done, a prayer and a sharing about Aqeeqah was also made for everyone to listen and reflect to.
As also a part of the tradition, a portion of baby Hayam’s hair was also cut and kept. Ideally, the hair’s child is supposed to be shaved in order to help strengthen its immune system and lessen chances of bacteria and other germs causing sickness to the newborn child. However, it is also acceptable to only cut portion of the child’s hair especially when the child may be unruly.
It was also said that shaving off the hair of the newborn is for cleanliness as its hair had been soaked inside the mother’s womb for 9 months and is technically not clean.
No matter the tradition that families believe in and observe for their newborn babies, every one family one hopes that their child grows up to be a good person – someone worthy to be emulated.