Is it required to shave the hair of a new born female when slaughtering her A’qeeqa? We live in a western country so are we required to slaughter it here while noting that my wife cannot prepare a big feast, so can I do all that in my home country and let my family there handle it?

In the name of Allaah, the Benevolent, the Merciful. All praise is due to Allaah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allaah, his family, companions, and those loyal to him. The people of knowledge disputed over shaving the hair of a new born female child; the Maliki and Shafiee scholars were of the view that what applies on new born boy applies on a new born girl based on what has been reported from Muhammad bin Ali bin al-Hussain that Fatima the daughter of the Messenger of Allaah  weighed the hair of al-Hasan, al-Hussain, Zaynab and Um Kulthoom then donated its weight in silver. This narration has been documented by Imam Malik in the Muwatta (2/501) and Abu Dawood in al-Maraseel (page 279: 380) and al-Bayhaqi in his Sunan al-Kubra (9/304) but the chain of this narration is disconnected and that makes it a weak hadeeth. They also argued that shaving the head achieves a benefit as it is done to donate for charity and it also strengthens the hair of the child afterward. In addition, they denied and rejected the view that states shaving the head of a new born female child makes the child look ugly. On the other hand, Hanbali scholars viewed that shaving the hair of a female new born is not prescribed because of the hadeeth of Samrah bin Jundub who said while raising it to the Prophet : ‘Every new born boy is destined to his A’qeeqah that should be slaughtered on the seventh day and his head be shaved.’ This hadeeth is authenticated by al-Albani – may Allaah bestow His mercy upon him - in al-Irwaa’ (4/385: hadeeth number 1165). Thus, what seems to be the most correct is that shaving the head is only prescribed for new born boys as the hadeeth about shaving the head of female newborns is weak. And Allaah, Most High, knows best. The A’qeeqa is prescribed whether you are in the west or the east and as for the ability of your wife to prepare the waleemah then it is known to you that such a matter has become too easy today because restaurants are able to prepare it for you and deliver it to you ready. So all you need to do is to invite your guests and enjoy the food! In any case, whether you would like to do it where you live or in your home country that is an open matter and if you wanted to please your family with it in Algeria then that is fine. And Allaah, most high, knows best.