Question: is aqiqah sunnah or fard?
Answer: The aqiqah is sunnah and mustahabb; it is not obligatory at all, so there is no sin on the one who does not do it. Ja'far al-Sadiq, a great grandchild of Muhammad and prominent scholar in his era, claimed that ideally the shaving, slaughtering for aqiqah, and naming of the child should be done within one hour.