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SalahudinAbdullah
13th May 2007, 02:24 PM
Bismillah Aslamum Aliekim Wr

Abuz Zubair can you clear this one for Us?

Insha Allah i wish for some help regarding a matter which is confussing a few revert brother's. If a kaafir becomes Muslim, what is the ruling on his illegitimate children?

I have read a Fawta from Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him).

In Liqaa’aat al-Baab il-Maftooh (3/385-386).

Question:
Someone is asking about a serious problem which faces most of those who enter Islam, which is that before they became Muslim they used to commit zina (fornication) and that resulted in many children. Are these children who were produced in this manner entitled to maintenance from their fathers, knowing that there was no marriage contract between them and their mothers?.

Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

In the case of those who had intercourse when they were kaafirs, if they believed that this intercourse came under a marriage contact that they regarded as valid – even though it is invalid according to sharee’ah – then the children belong to the man. For example, when he was a kaafir, a man proposed to a woman that she should be his wife and she agreed, and they thought that this was a marriage contract, then the man and woman become Muslim. In this case we say that their marriage contract is valid and does not need to be renewed, and the children that they have had together belong to them, unless the wife is not permissible for the husband when they become Muslims, such as if he was a Magian and married his sister – because the Magians regard marriage to mahrams as permissible. If he married his sister when he was a kaafir then he became Muslim, and she also became Muslim, then they must be separated, because the woman is not permissible for the man. So we say to those who are mentioned: If you believe that your relationship with this woman was marriage, then it is not zina, and the children belong to you. If you believe that it was zina, then if you accepted these children as yours when you were kaafirs, then they are also your children as Muslims, so long as there is no one else claming them as his. If they did not accept them as their own, then they cannot be their children.

With regard to maintenance, if we rule that they are their children, then they are obliged to spend on them, and if we rule otherwise then they do not have to spend on them.

Abuz Zubair
13th May 2007, 02:53 PM
Sorry, what's the confusion here?

SalahudinAbdullah
13th May 2007, 04:41 PM
Sorry I may of not explain my self right! i want to know if this Fatwa is correct! that the children do belong to the father's even it they view it a zina. As I cant read Arabic to check this Fatwa! Many people have told me it is wrong and to check this fatwa. Jazak Allahu Khair.

Abuz Zubair
13th May 2007, 08:20 PM
Yes, this is his opinion, which is opposed to the majority but a valid one.

This is what Ibn Qudama says in al-Mughni about the khilaf (although he is with the majority):

فصل والحكم في ميراث ولد الزنا في جميع ما ذكرنا كالحكم في ولد الملاعنة على ما ذكرنا من الأقوال والاختلاف إلا أن الحسن بن صالح قال عصبة ولد الزنا سائر المسلمين لأن أمه ليست فراشا بخلاف ولد الملاعنة والجمهور على التسوية بينهما لانقطاع نسب كل واحد منهما من أبيه إلا أن ولد الملاعنة يلحق الملاعن إذا استلحقه وولد الزنا لا يلحق الزاني في قول الجمهور وقال الحسن وابن سيرين يلحق الواطىء إذا أقيم عليه الحد ويرثه وقال إبراهيم يلحقه إذا جلد الحد أو ملك الموطوءة وقال إسحاق يلحقه وذكر عن عروة وسليمان بن يسار نحوه وروى علي بن عاصم عن أبي حنيفة أنه قال لا أرى بأسا إذا زنا الرجل بالمرأة فحملت منه أن يتزوجها مع حملها ويستر عليها والولد ولد له وأجمعوا على أنه إذا ولد على فراش رجل فادعاه آخر أنه لا يلحقه وإنما الخلاف فيما إذا ولد على غير فراش
ولنا قول النبي الولد للفراش وللعاهر الحجر ولأنه لا يلحق به إذا لم يستلحقه فلم يلحق به بحال كما لو كانت أمه فراشا أو كما لو لم يجلد الحد عند من اعتبره

I think this is also IT's opinion.

SalahudinAbdullah
13th May 2007, 08:59 PM
Akhi what is the stronger opinion on this matter? as I would like to know how I should interact with this child. i.e should I address him as my Son, I just want to please Allah on this and all matter's.

Abuz Zubair
13th May 2007, 09:01 PM
Allahu Alam what the stronger opinion is, but you are free to act on Ibn Uthaymin's opinion and happily consider and call him your son.