Question:
My siblings and I were born out of wedlock. They never got married after.
Does our father have any rights over us? Do we share in his inheritance? All three of us are adults now. He was never present in our lives as kids. We don’t have a good relationship with him as he was an alcoholic. Is this considered as breaking family ties? Is he allowed to see me without my niqaab/Hijab?
Jazakallah
Answer
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Shariah, the paternity of the child is attributed to the Firash [i.e. the conjugal bed, or the rightful owner of the bed]. In the case of an unmarried woman, no man has conjugal rights over her. Thus, if she were to give birth through illicit relations, the fornicator, though biological father, will not be regarded as the legitimate father. The child will have no real (legitimate) father, rather the child will be attributed the mother and her relations.
Therefore, your biological father has no rights over you nor do you have any rights over him. You are not obliged to maintain family ties with him as he is not your real father. If, however, he assisted in supporting and maintaining you and your siblings, financially or otherwise, he will be rewarded for his act of kindness.
In the case of a married woman, if she were to become pregnant, the paternity of the child will be attributed to her husband i.e. he will be considered the legitimate father even though DNA results proves otherwise.
Nb: The adulterer and adulteress are responsible for their actions. As for the children born from such relationships, they are born sinless and innocent.[1]
With regards to inheritance, a person inherits due one of two factors viz. marriage (between husband and wife) or blood relations. Since the Shariah does not acknowledge the paternity of the child, blood relations will not be established and thus inheritance will not take place. Inheritance will only take place between the child and his mother (and her blood relations).
In accordance with the Hanafi School of Law, Hurmah Musaharah (being permanently forbidden in marriage) is also established through adultery or fornication. However, the adulterer (though the biological father) will not be considered a Mahram to his illegitimate daughter (born out of wedlock) with regards to the laws relating to seclusion, Hijab, travelling etc. Therefore, you are required to observe the laws of Hijab in his presence.[2]
And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Kaleem Muhammad
Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom
Marabella, Trinidad
[1]قال الله تعالى: وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ
[2] الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/ 464)
(قوله ومع زوج أو محرم) هذا وقوله ومع عدم عدة عليها شرطان مختصان بالمرأة فلذا قال لامرأة وما قبلهما من الشروط مشترك والمحرم من لا يجوز له مناكحتها على التأبيد بقرابة أو رضاع أو صهرية كما في التحفة وأدخل في الظهيرية بنت موطوءته من الزنا حيث يكون محرما لها، وفيه دليل على ثبوتها بالوطء الحرام، وبما تثبت به حرمة المصاهرة كذا في الخانية نهر.
لكن قال في شرح اللباب ذكر قوام الدين شارح الهداية أنه إذا كان محرما بالزنا فلا تسافر معه عند بعضهم، وإليه ذهب القدوري وبه نأخذ اهـ وهو الأحوط في الدين والأبعد عن التهمة. اهـ.
المبسوط للسرخسي (4/ 206)
وَمِنْ فُرُوعِ هَذِهِ الْمَسْأَلَةِ بِنْتُ الرَّجُلِ مِنْ الزِّنَا بِأَنْ زَنَى بِبِكْرٍ وَأَمْسَكَهَا حَتَّى وَلَدَتْ بِنْتًا حَرُمَ عَلَيْهِ تَزَوُّجُهَا عِنْدَنَا، وَعِنْدَ الشَّافِعِيِّ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – لَا يَكُونُ حَرَامًا وَلَهُ فِي الْبِنْتِ الْمُلَاعَنَةُ الَّتِي لَمْ يَدْخُلْ بِالْأُمِّ قَوْلَانِ وَاسْتَدَلَّ، فَقَالَ: نَصُّ التَّحْرِيمِ قَوْله تَعَالَى {وَبَنَاتُكُمْ} [النساء: 23]، وَذَلِكَ يَتَنَاوَلُ الْبِنْتَ الْمُضَافَةَ إلَيْهِ نَسَبًا وَالْبِنْتُ مِنْ الزِّنَا غَيْرُ مُضَافَةٍ إلَيْهِ نَسَبًا بَلْ هِيَ حَرَامٌ الْإِضَافَةُ إلَيْهِ نَسَبًا، وَلَوْ أَثْبَتْنَا الْحُرْمَةَ فِيهَا كَانَ إثْبَاتُ الْحُرْمَةِ بِالزِّنَا وَبِهِ فَارَقَ جَانِبَهَا فَإِنَّ الِابْنَ مِنْ الزِّنَا يُضَافُ إلَى الْأُمِّ نَسَبًا فَكَانَتْ هِيَ حَرَامًا عَلَيْهِ لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى {حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَّهَاتُكُمْ} [النساء: 23] وَتَبَيَّنَ بِهَذَا التَّفْرِيقِ أَنَّ هَذِهِ الْحُرْمَةَ الثَّابِتَةَ شَرْعًا تَنْبَنِي عَلَى ثُبُوتِ النَّسَبِ شَرْعًا وَالنِّسْبَةُ إلَى الزَّانِي غَيْرُ ثَابِتَةٍ مِنْ كُلِّ وَجْهٍ، فَكَذَا هُنَ
