Is 'Aqiqah obligatory for someone who embraced Islam and has children born before his conversion, knowing that pre-Islamic deeds, such as prayer, are waived for him?
The 'Aqiqah is a confirmed Sunnah, not obligatory. It is recommended for a Muslim to perform the 'Aqiqah for their children if the father did not do so at birth. It is also permissible for one to perform the 'Aqiqah for oneself if their father did not do it for them. However, one should not perform the 'Aqiqah for a disbelieving son because the purpose of the 'Aqiqah is to seek the righteousness of the child, and this cannot be achieved for a disbeliever. If a person embraces Islam, it is not obligatory for them to perform the 'Aqiqah for themselves or for their children who were born before their conversion, because the Prophet, peace be upon him, did not command new Muslims to do so.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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