Monday, January 25, 2010

Aqiqah For Muslims Only?

Recently I attended a kenduri of one of my relatives. The food served was actually good. I managed to eat nasi minyak together with daging masak merah, ayam masak merah, mutton kurma, mutton curry and juices. I personally want to express my gratitude to the hosts for their kindness in inviting me to their kenduri. Mutton kurma and mutton curry were actually served as part of the Islamic practice of aqiqah.

From the Islamic legal practice, the majority of the Muslim jurists except those of the Hanafis indicate that the practice of aqiqah is a recommended practice or Sunnah. However, the Hanafis indicate that the practice of aqiqah is an innovation or bid'ah. The main reason is that they do not recognise the authority establishing the practice of aqiqah derived from the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Thus, the autthority according to them is solitary or ahad. They indicate that it is up to the Muslims whether to practice it or not.

During having my kenduri meal, I noticed a notice indicating that mutton kurma and mutton curry are aqiqah and for Muslims only. In other words, non-Muslims cannot consume both kurma and curry. Imagine the sadness on part of non-Muslims who attended the kenduri and loving mutton so much but were prohibited from eating mutton kurma and mutton curry. My question is whether non-Muslims are prohibited from eating mutton kurma and mutton curry which was served based on the practice of aqiqah? To my limited knowledge, non-Muslims should not be prohibited from eating them.

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