Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

it is said that in the quraan that the number of times women and men are mentioned is the same amount (they are both equal) so i assume that both boy and girl are equal too. so then why does it say in the muslim directory:

`it is reported by abdullah bin amar bin al`-as that the prophet (saw) said,"to whomsoever a child is born and he wants to perform a sacrifice of aqeeqah on behalf of it, he should sacrifice two goats for a boy and one for a girl"

so why is it that more celebrations are made when a boy is born? isn`t it a famous saying that jannat lies under your monther`s feet?..so when this newly born girl is born why is only one goat sacrificed why not two?she will grown up to be a mother and will provide jannat for her children..isn`t this a good thing..a good enough reason to sacrifice 2 goats?

i find these type of saying fustrating and would like to know your opinions as soon as possible..

tahnkyou

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Why two sacrifice for boy?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: it is said that in the quraan that the number of times women and men are mentioned is the same amount (they are both equal) so i assume that both boy and girl are equal too.

Dear and Beloved Sister in Islam, the number of times a term is mentioned in the Quran does not equate in any way nor is it a criteria to signify its importance in the deen.

Examples:

Prophet Moses (a.s.) is mentioned at least 80 times in the Quran by name, whereas the Last and Final Messenger and the Leader of all the Prophets, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah (saws) is mentioned only five times by name in the Glorious Quran!

The term Shaytaan is mentioned by name at least ten times more than the Angels!

There are numerous other examples of where one term is mentioned several times more in the Glorious Quran than another term; but that repetition of a term in no way signifies its importance over another term simply by the number of times it is mentioned in the Quran!

Although due to our lack of knowledge, we cannot confirm nor deny with certainty that the term for men and women is mentioned equal times in the Quran; even if for argument’s sake we accept your statement, it does not in any way mean that men and women are considered equal in Islam.

Contrary to the popular propagation of this modern-secular-educated but ignorant and un-Godly world that men and women are equal; Islam guides that men and women are not equal but rather they are balanced whereby Allah Subhanah has laid upon each their duties and responsibilities according to the distinct Nature He has bestowed upon them. Rather than make them equal and thus compete against each other, Islam guides that men and women are balanced and complement each other!

Your Question: so why is it that more celebrations are made when a boy is born?

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 2829 Narrated by Umm Kurz

I heard the Prophet (saws) say: ‘Two sheep are to be sacrificed for a boy and one for a girl, but it does you no harm whether they (the sheep) are male or female.’

Dear and Beloved Sister in Islam, to understand the wisdom behind the hadith, one must relate to the times of ignorance before the advent of the Prophet (saws), where it was an accepted custom in the region that the Arabs would bury their new-born alive if it happened to be a girl. It is in the inherent nature of man that he is more joyous when he is given news that a son is to be born to him rather than a daughter; and that feeling is confirmed even in this day and age in nations like India and China where a large percentage of the abomination of abortions are carried out only because modern technology has allowed man to determine whether the child to be born would be a male or a female. Leave alone offer a sacrifice as a sign of being grateful or celebrate the birth of a female child, the ignorant and evil amongst mankind were willing to even kill or abort the infant if it happened to be a girl!

With the advent of Islam, Allah and His Messenger (saws) guided the believers to be grateful for whatever the Lord Wills to provide them; and be joyous and celebrate the birth of the new-born, whether it be a girl or a boy; but because of the inherent nature of man who is happier to receive the news of a boy, Allah and His Messenger (saws) guided the believers to show their appreciation and gratefulness to the Lord by offering a double sacrifice.

Your Question: so when this newly born girl is born why is only one goat sacrificed why not two?

One should also understand that one sacrifice for the new-born girl and two for the new-born boy is the minimum one may offer as a sign of his being grateful to the Lord Most Gracious; but if one is so joyous at the birth of one’s child, regardless of whether it is a boy or a girl, and wills to offer more than the minimum number he may offer as many sacrifices as he wishes as a sign of his being grateful to his Lord Most Gracious. If one is so happy and joyous at the birth of a baby-girl which the Lord Willed to provide them, there is absolutely no harm if one shows one’s gratefulness for the Mercy and Grace of their Lord and celebrates the birth by sacrificing a hundred or a thousand camels or even more, if one so wishes!

Your Statement: i find these type of saying fustrating and would like to know your opinions as soon as possible..

Beloved sister in Islam, the deen or ‘way of life’ called Al-Islam is based on the Wisdom and Knowledge of the All Knowing Lord, and every single command of the All Wise Lord is abundant in common-sense and logic. Asking any type of questions in Islam to gain more knowledge, or to confirm the Truth so that one’s heart is more content, or to understand and thus follow with more conviction the dictates of the deen is not only permissible, but absolutely encouraged in Islam. It is the right of the brother or sister to ask anything they wish to clarify in the deen; and it is the responsibility and duty of the good scholars to address the question asked to the best of their knowledge and ability, and in the most polite and humble manner.

What is discouraged in Islam is if one asks questions for the sake of asking, or arguing to ridicule the Truth with absolutely no intention of obeying or following when the Truth is made clear to them, etc. But if one asks questions to clarify and seek knowledge so that one may better follow the deen; such seeking of the Knowledge of Truth is absolutely encouraged in Islam

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 36:

It does not behove a believing man and a believing woman that when Allah and His Messenger have given their decision in a matter, they should exercise an option in that matter of theirs. For whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, has indeed strayed into manifest error.

Dear and Beloved Sister is Islam, when we as believers in Allah and the Last Day have made a covenant with Allah Subhanah by the declaration of the ‘shahaadah’ or testimony of faith, we are bound by our covenant to submit our wills to the Will of Allah Subhanah in exchange for His Promise of the Everlasting Gardens of Paradise. Regardless of whether we like or dislike the command, regardless of whether we agree or disagree with the wisdom behind the command, etc.; we are bound by our covenant to listen and obey and strive our utmost to fulfill the command of Allah and His Messenger (saws) in word and in spirit.

To get frustrated with the commands and guidance of Allah and His Messenger (saws) is to imply that we are not satisfied with the guidance; and that state of mind does not behove one who has made a covenant to submit his will to the Will of His Lord and Creator in exchange for the Realms of Paradise. There is absolutely no harm if one searches for the wisdom behind the command so that one may understand it and follow it with more conviction; but under no circumstances can one who has professed belief in Allah and the Last Day, ever feel or display frustration or challenge any command of Allah and His Messenger (saws) with the intention to disobey or deny it.

May Allah Subhanah open your and our hearts to understand the wisdom behind His Commands and His Guidance so that we may obey and follow them with more conviction, and in exchange for our submission and our obedience earn His Pleasure and His Good Will.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan