Chapter: Drawing Lots For A Child If Several Men Dispute Over Him

´It was narrated that Zaid bin Arqam said:` "Three men were brought to 'Ali while he was in Yemen; they all had intercourse with a woman during a single menstrual cycle. He asked two of them: 'Do you affirm that this child belongs to (the third man)?' And they said: 'No.' He asked another two of them: 'Do you affirm that this child belongs to (the third man)?' And they said: 'No.' So he cast lots between them, and attributed the child to the one whom the lot fell, and obliged him to pay two-thirds of the Diyah. The Prophet was told of this, and he laughed so much that his back teeth became visible."

´It was narrated that Zaid bin Arqam said:` "While we were with the Messenger of Allah, a man came to him from Yemen and started telling him (about an incident) while 'Ali was still in Yemen. He said: 'O Messenger of Allah, three men were brought to 'Ali who were disputing about a child, and they all had intercourse with a woman during a single menstrual cycle.'" And he quoted the same Hadith.

´It was narrated that Zaid bin Arqam said:` "I was with the Messenger of Allah, and 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, was in Yemen at that time. A man came to him and said: 'I saw 'Ali when three men were brought to him who all claimed (to be the father) of a child. 'Ali said to one of them: Will you give the child up to him? And he refused. He said to (the next one): Will you give the child up to him? And he refused. He said to (the next one): Will you give the child up to him? And he refused. 'Ali said: You are disputing partners. I will cast lots among you, and whoever wins the draw, the child is for him, and he has to pay two-thirds of the Diyah.' The Messenger of Allah laughed so much that his back teeth became visible."

´It was narrated from a man from Hadramawt, that Zaid bin Arqam said:` "The Messenger of Allah sent 'Ali to (be the governor of) Yemen, and a child was brought to him concerning whom three men were disputing." Then he quoted the same Hadith. Salamah bin Kuhail contradicted them.

´Salamah bin Kuhail said:` "I heard Ash-Sha'bi narrating from Abu Al-Khalil or Ibn Abi Al-Khalil that three men had intercourse (with the same woman) during a single menstrual cycle;" and he mentioned something similar, but he did not mention Zaid bin Arqam or attribute anything to the Prophet.