Question: If a child is born two months after marriage, can that child be considered legitimate?
Answer:
A child born two months after marriage cannot be considered legitimate, as the soul is breathed into the fetus after four months of gestation. Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said:
"One of you is gathered in the womb of his mother for forty days as a sperm, then as a clot for a similar period, then as a piece of flesh for a similar period, then Allah sends an angel who is commanded to write four things: his provision, his lifespan, his deeds, and whether he will be blessed or wretched, and then the soul is breathed into him." [Bukhari, Kitab al-Qadr: 6594; Muslim: 2643]
This authentic hadith shows that the soul is breathed into the fetus after four months. After this point, it takes at least two additional months for the child to be born, meaning that the minimum period for a legitimate birth is six months after marriage. Islamic scholars have determined that if a child is born six months after marriage, it is considered legitimate and can be attributed to the father. This is supported by the verse in the Quran:
"And We have enjoined upon man (care) for his parents. His mother carried him, (increasing her) in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in thirty months..." [Surah Al-Ahqaf: 15]
In this verse, Allah specifies a period of thirty months for both pregnancy and breastfeeding, with twenty-four months allocated for breastfeeding as clarified in another verse:
"Mothers may breastfeed their children two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing (period)." [Surah Al-Baqarah: 233]
Thus, the remaining six months are considered the minimum period for pregnancy. Scholars such as Imam Ibn Kathir, Imam Qurtubi, and other notable commentators confirm that this six-month period is the minimum time for a legitimate pregnancy.
Scholarly Interpretations:
Advisory Note:
Parents are encouraged to avoid delaying their children's marriages without cause, as delayed marriages often lead to youth engaging in improper relationships and immoral behavior. Embracing Islamic guidelines over cultural practices allows families to safeguard their children’s chastity and uphold their religious obligations.
Answer:
A child born two months after marriage cannot be considered legitimate, as the soul is breathed into the fetus after four months of gestation. Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said:
"One of you is gathered in the womb of his mother for forty days as a sperm, then as a clot for a similar period, then as a piece of flesh for a similar period, then Allah sends an angel who is commanded to write four things: his provision, his lifespan, his deeds, and whether he will be blessed or wretched, and then the soul is breathed into him." [Bukhari, Kitab al-Qadr: 6594; Muslim: 2643]
This authentic hadith shows that the soul is breathed into the fetus after four months. After this point, it takes at least two additional months for the child to be born, meaning that the minimum period for a legitimate birth is six months after marriage. Islamic scholars have determined that if a child is born six months after marriage, it is considered legitimate and can be attributed to the father. This is supported by the verse in the Quran:
"And We have enjoined upon man (care) for his parents. His mother carried him, (increasing her) in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in thirty months..." [Surah Al-Ahqaf: 15]
In this verse, Allah specifies a period of thirty months for both pregnancy and breastfeeding, with twenty-four months allocated for breastfeeding as clarified in another verse:
"Mothers may breastfeed their children two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing (period)." [Surah Al-Baqarah: 233]
Thus, the remaining six months are considered the minimum period for pregnancy. Scholars such as Imam Ibn Kathir, Imam Qurtubi, and other notable commentators confirm that this six-month period is the minimum time for a legitimate pregnancy.
Scholarly Interpretations:
- Imam Ibn Kathir explains that combining the verses from Surah Al-Ahqaf and Surah Al-Baqarah supports a six-month minimum pregnancy period, a view upheld by other Sahaba (رضی اللہ عنہم) such as Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Uthman.
- Imam Al-Qurtubi concurs, stating: "The period of breastfeeding is twenty-four months, and the period of pregnancy is six months."
- Imam Shinqiti and Imam Alusi also affirm that there is scholarly consensus on this matter, noting that the thirty-month total indicates a minimum pregnancy period of six months when twenty-four months are allotted to breastfeeding.
Example of Legitimacy After Six Months
Ba’ja bin Abdullah Al-Juhani (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrates that a man married a woman from the Juhaina tribe, and she gave birth six months later. Hazrat Uthman (رضی اللہ عنہ) intended to punish her, but Hazrat Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) reminded him of the verse indicating a six-month minimum pregnancy period. Hazrat Uthman then reversed his decision.Conclusion
It is evident from the above explanation that a child born six months after marriage is legitimate and attributed to the father. However, a child born only two months after marriage cannot be considered legitimate, as this falls outside the acceptable timeframe. Parents should be vigilant regarding their children’s behavior, and marriages should be arranged promptly upon maturity to prevent illicit relationships and ensure moral integrity.Advisory Note:
Parents are encouraged to avoid delaying their children's marriages without cause, as delayed marriages often lead to youth engaging in improper relationships and immoral behavior. Embracing Islamic guidelines over cultural practices allows families to safeguard their children’s chastity and uphold their religious obligations.