Determining the day of aqeeqah

Q: My child was born on 3rd September at 3:43 pm, that was 3rd Muharram. I want to perform aqeeqah on the seventh day which, according to me, falls on 10 th September (from 9th evening to 10th evening). But my wife says it falls on 9th September which according to me is wrong. 3rd Muharram ended on 3rd evening that makes the date of birth the 3rd, but that doesn’t mean that 1 day is completed.

When we count days it is counted as:

1st day is 3rd to 4th day
2nd day is 4th to 5th day
3rd day is 5th to 6th day
4th day is 6th to 7th day
5th day is 7th to 8th day
6th day is 8th to 9th day
7th day is 9th to 10th day

Now what she says is by the Maghrib of the 3rd day, 1 day is counted. She is insisting on the 9th.

A: It is on the 9th. If the child is born before Maghrib then the day in which the child is born is counted as the first day. Hence, if the child is born on a Friday afternoon then the 7th day will be the next Thursday.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

 

Answered by:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)