Praise be to Allah.

It is prescribed for the person who offers the sacrifice to eat some of the meat, to give
some as gifts and to give some in charity, because Allah says (interpretation of the
meaning): “Then eat thereof and feed therewith the poor having a hard time”[Al-Hajj
22:28]

“eat thereof, and feed the poor who does not ask (men), and the beggar who asks
(men). Thus have We made them subject to you that you may be grateful”[al-
Hajj22:36]

It was narrated from Salamah ibn al-Akwa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Eat some, give some to
others and store some.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari. Giving some to others includes both
giving gifts to the rich and giving charity to the poor.

It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Eat some, store some and give
some in charity.” Narrated by Muslim.

The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed concerning the amounts that
should be eaten and given as gifts and in charity. The matter is broad in scope but the
best way is to eat one-third, give one-third as gifts and give one-third in charity.

Ahmad said: “We go along with the hadeeth of ‘Abd-Allaah (ibn ‘Abbaas – may
Allaah be pleased with them both): ‘He should eat one third himself, feed one third to
whomever he wants, and give one third in charity.” (Reported by Abu Moosa al-
Isfahaani in al-Wazaa’if; he said it is a hasan hadeeth. This is also the opinion of Ibn
Mas’ood and Ibn ‘Umar. No conflicting opinion is known among the Sahaabah. Al-
Mughni, 8/632).

All of the above narrations are related to Udhiyah (Sacrifice during Eid)

Some of the scholars said that the ‘aqeeqah is like the udhiyah (The sacrifice of Eidul-
Adha) and is subject to the same rulings.

They said that it should be shared out in the same manner as the udhiyah, and that the
conditions for the sheep to be sacrificed for the ‘aqeeqah are the same as those in the
case of udhiyah. They said that it should not be blemished, lame, obviously sick or
extremely weak.

They liken it by analogy (qiyaas) to udhiyah because it is a sacrifice which is

prescribed in sharee’ah, but it is not obligatory, so it is like udhiyah, and because it is
like it in terms of the attributes, age, value and conditions [of the animal], so it is like
it in terms of the manner in which it is disposed of.
(Al-Mughni, 9/366)

Note: There is no mention in the Sunnah of a specific way of dividing (the meat of the ‘aqeeqah). The purpose is to draw closer
to Allah by means of the shedding of this blood, in thanksgiving for the blessing of the newborn child, and to loosen the bonds of
the Shaytaan over the child and to remove him from him, as is indicated in the hadeeth, “Every child is ransomed by his
‘aqeeqah.”