Paying the monetary value of the Ud-hiyah

Q 1: Is it permissible to pay the value of the `Aqiqah (sacrifice for a newborn) or Ud-hiyah (sacrificial animal offered by non-pilgrims) to charitable societies which take care of the orphans, needy, and poor people instead of buying and slaughtering the sheep? I read a Fatwa (legal opinion issued by a qualified Muslim scholar) issued by a scholar whose name I do not remember which permitted giving the monetary value of the Ud-hiyah to Al-Muntada Al-Islami. Please advise; may Allah reward you well!

A: It is impermissible to pay the monetary value of the sheep to be slaughtered as an `Aqiqah or Ud-hiyah because slaughtering it, eating from its meat and giving some of its meat in charity is an act of `Ibadah (worship) which can not be replaced by giving the value in charity.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.