Preparing for Death (Part 3)

Question: In the case of a stillborn child, should they be given a name, circumcised, and have an ‘aqeeqah performed for them? Answer: As for naming, scholars have said that a child should be given a name if the soul has already been breathed into them — that is, after four months of pregnancy. If it is not clear whether the baby is male or female, then a shared name may be used, such as Salamah or ‘Utbah. The matter of naming is flexible; names are simply used for identification. So, if someone chooses to name the baby, there is no problem, and if not, there is no sin. As for circumcision, it is not needed for the dead, whether young or old, as mentioned before. As for the ‘Aqeeqah, it should be done if the soul has already been breathed into the baby before death. The Permanent Committee, under the leadership of Ibn Bāz (may Allāh have mercy on him), issued a fatwa that an ‘Aqeeqah may be offered for a baby who died after the soul was breathed into him. He should also be prayed over, as long as the soul had entered him. And Allāh knows best.