Muslim Festivals and Ceremonies — Page 47
v) Circumcision:. For male children another ceremony which is essential is circumcision. This is not just Islamic practice. It goes back to the time of Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him, and followers of some other religions practise it too. The circumcision can be performed at any time, preferably, within the first seven days after birth. If not performed at that time, it can still be performed later. In some countries this minor operation is done as a routine in the hospitals within a few days of the child's birth, and involves the removing of the loose foreskin of the male organ. vi) Aqeeqa or the feast of sacrifice:. Usually on the seventh day after the birth of the baby an animal is sacrificed and a feast follows wherein friends, relatives and neighbours are invited. Some of the sacrificial meat is distributed among the poor. The animal to be sacrificed can be a goat, a sheep, a lamb, a cow or a camel. If a girl is born, one animal is to be sacrificed, but in the case of a boy animals, two in number should be slaughtered. It should be noted that the feast is not obligatory. It is up to the parents choosing, but the sacrifice must be performed. It is essential that the animal should be free from any physical defect and fully grown. If for any reason the ceremony cannot be performed on the seventh day after birth of the baby, it can be arranged on the 14th or the 21st day. If a child reaches the age of understanding and maturity and knows, or has reason to believe that the sacrifice has not been performed for him or her, he or she can perform it himself or herself. 47