Once the animal is chosen, the practical question is what happens to the meat. Families in Cairo generally follow the same pattern, and getting the cut style right in advance saves a long evening in the kitchen.
The three portions
One third for the household, one third gifted to relatives and neighbours, one third given as charity. The proportions are customary rather than binding, and many families give more than a third away.
Choosing a cut style
Whole is for families roasting the animal. Halves and quarters suit a large cooked gathering. Cooking-ready pieces are best if the meat is heading straight into fattah, tagines or a freezer.
How much meat to expect
A 50 kg live sheep yields roughly 25 kg of prepared meat, which comfortably feeds a gathering of forty to fifty people when served with rice.
Getting the charity portion delivered
Give us a second address at checkout and we deliver that portion directly, so it never needs to pass through your home. Many families send it to a mosque, an orphanage or specific neighbours.
Common questions
- Can the family eat from the aqiqah?
- Yes. Unlike some other sacrifices, eating from the aqiqah is the established practice, alongside gifting and charity.
- Can the meat be cooked before distribution?
- Yes, cooking it and inviting people is a widespread and praised practice.
- Can I sell any part of the animal?
- No part of the aqiqah — including the skin — should be sold. It is eaten, gifted or given away.