Once Paternity Is Acknowledged, It Cannot Be Denied

Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) says that once a person has acknowledged a child, he cannot deny it afterwards.

Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said that once a person has acknowledged a child, he cannot deny it afterwards.

Hazrat Shurayh (may Allah have mercy on him) says that once a person has acknowledged a child, he cannot deny it afterwards.

Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) says that once a person has acknowledged a child, he cannot deny it even for the blink of an eye.

Hazrat Mujalid (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that a man came to Hazrat Sha’bi (may Allah have mercy on him) with a child. The man had previously acknowledged the child but now wanted to deny it. People testified that the child was born in his house and that people had congratulated him. The man admitted to this, so Hazrat Shurayh (may Allah have mercy on him) ruled that he should keep the child with himself. Hazrat ‘Amir (may Allah have mercy on him) states that Hazrat ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) also used to give the same ruling.

18491 - ‘Amir said: (It was) (1) ‘Umar who used to judge with that (2).

Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) says that once a person has acknowledged the child, he cannot deny it under any circumstances thereafter.

Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him) says that once a person has acknowledged the child, he cannot deny it afterwards. Hazrat Hammad (may Allah have mercy on him) says that if he has acknowledged the pregnancy, then he does not have the option to deny it; he can only say that he made a mistake regarding the waiting period (‘iddah).

18494 - Hammad said: If he acknowledges the pregnancy, he (has) (1) the right to deny it, if he wishes, saying: I made a mistake regarding the waiting period.

Hazrat Hammad (may Allah have mercy on him) says that if the pregnancy of a man's wife or slave-girl becomes apparent, then before acknowledging it, he can deny it after the delivery. And if he has acknowledged the pregnancy and then, after the delivery, wishes to deny it, he can do so.

Hazrat Umar bin Abdul Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him) said that if a person acknowledges a child as his own and then denies it, even then the child will be considered his.

Hazrat Sha'bi (may Allah have mercy on him) says that if a man denies his child, then if the wife is alive, he will perform li'an, and if she has died, the prescribed punishment will be carried out on him, and the child will be considered his. If the child is of a slave woman, then he will be a slave.

Hazrat Hammad and Hazrat Hakam d were asked: If a man acknowledges a child and then later denies it, what is the ruling? Hazrat Hakam (may Allah have mercy on him) said that the prescribed punishment (hadd) will be carried out on him. Hazrat Hammad (may Allah have mercy on him) said that by acknowledging, the child has become established for him and he will perform li'an; he mentioned that Hazrat Sufyan (may Allah have mercy on him) also used to say the same.

18499 - Hammad said: The child is obligated by acknowledgment and performs li'an.

18500 - And it was mentioned that Sufyan used to say it.

Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him) said that if a man acknowledges a child and then denies it, he will perform li'an according to the Book of Allah, and according to the decision of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the child will be considered his.

Hazrat Hammad (may Allah have mercy on him) says that a man acknowledged one of his children from his slave woman. Then he became a free man and married her off, then he denied (the child), so this denial has no value, and the child will be considered his.

Hazrat Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) says that he can deny the child even if he has become a man.

Hazrat Asim (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that a woman came to Hazrat Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) along with her husband, her father, and her mother. She was pregnant. Her husband said that she was a slave girl and that he used to amuse himself with her, whereas the woman said that her parents had married her to him and that he used to come to her and do everything that a man does with his wife. Hazrat Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) struck the man on the head with his whip and said, "She is your wife and the child is yours."