When does the Aqeeqah and shaving the head of a pre-mature child have to be done? After the pre-mature child is discharged or can it be done before? 

Q. My baby was born at six and a half Months pre-mature. I am visiting my baby at the hospital every day. Do I have to wait for my baby to be discharged from the hospital and then do Aqeeqah and then shave my baby’s hair? Of course, my baby’s hair cannot be shaven now. What do I do?

A. It is Mustahab (preferable) to do Aqeeqah for a newborn child on the seventh day of its birth.

Hence, in the enquired situation, it will be Mustahab to do the Aqeeqah for your six and a half Months premature child on the seventh day of its birth. You will not have to wait for your premature child to be discharged from the hospital. However, if it was not done on the seventh day of its birth, it may be done on every seventh day afterwards.

The same would apply for the shaving of the newborn child’s hair.

Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mufti Ismaeel Bassa

themufti.com