Question
A man said to his son: The Aqiqah for your son is upon me after your wife gives birth, then he passed away before the wife gave birth, and there was no vow or will from him. Does this remain a debt upon him?
Answer
I say, and with God's guidance: This is merely a promise that is not obligatory to fulfill, like a vow contingent upon a condition. The person who promised to slaughter the aqeeqah originally died before the condition upon which the slaughter was contingent was fulfilled, so there is nothing remaining in his debt. And God knows best.