The Alternative Aqeeqah Service
“It is not their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah: it is your piety that reaches Him “ (Al-Hajj 22:37).
The birth of a baby boy or girl is an auspicious occasion and one that Muslims should celebrate with a sacrifice known as the Aqeeqah. The Aqeeqah is the offering of one or two lambs on the 7th day after the child is born. If the 7th day is not possible, it should performed on the 14th, 21st or any other day afterwards.
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, states: "Among the benefits of `Aqeeqah are:
1) It is a sacrifice by means of which the child is brought close to Allah soon after he comes into this world.
2) It is a ransom for the newborn so that he or she can intercede for his parents.
3) It is a sacrifice by which the newborn is ransomed just as Allah ransomed Isma`eel with the ram.
(Tuhfat al-Mawdood, p. 69)."
Aqeeqah in the UK
Due to the laws of the UK it is now very difficult to perform the Aqeeqah correctly. The main route people go down is to ask the local butcher to provide them with a lamb. However, the chances are that the lamb they receive has not been slaughtered specifically for a certain baby.
This is where Abraham Natural Produce differs. Because we are not getting through hundreds of lambs a day, we have the time, dedication and personalised service to be able to slaughter on behalf of our customers making sure the intention to cut the animal is correct. We then make sure that particular animal is delivered to you.
Before proceeding with the Aqeeqah we need to talk to the parents of the newborn to get the name of the child and also to seek their formal permission that we are able to do the Aqeeqah on their behalf. With this trust we then proceed to select a fine lamb for the child. The lamb is then sympathetically butchered and delivered fresh to your door ready to cook for your celebration.
Costs
> Certified organic halal lamb is £143 (or two for £275)
> Naturally-reared lamb is £100 (or two for £190).
You receive two legs, two shoulders, chops, heart, kidneys and liver. If you have any specific requirements as to how it is butchered please let us know and we will carry out your request. Delivery is only £10 and £20 for two lambs.
For people wanting to keep their sheepskins for babies’ mats, push-chair covers or simple rugs we can process these for an additional £45 per skin + P&P. The process takes 6-8 weeks. For more information read about our quality sheepskins.
