❖ Legal Ruling on Expiation in Case of Unintentional Maternal Negligence ❖
This writing is excerpted from the book "500 Questions and Answers for Women" based on the Fatwas of the Scholars of the Haramain, translated by Hafiz Abdullah Saleem.
A mother laid her infant daughter on the bed and went to sit with her other children. When the children fell asleep, she too dozed off due to overwhelming sleep. Upon waking, she found her infant in a severely distressed state from prolonged crying, which led to her being hospitalized. A few days later, the baby passed away due to that condition. The question is: is the mother obligated to offer expiation (kaffārah)?
Based on the stated circumstances, the mother is not obligated to offer any expiation, because she was in no way a direct cause of the child's death.
وبالله التوفيق
(Former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Shaykh Ibn Baz رحمه الله)
This writing is excerpted from the book "500 Questions and Answers for Women" based on the Fatwas of the Scholars of the Haramain, translated by Hafiz Abdullah Saleem.
❖ Question:
A mother laid her infant daughter on the bed and went to sit with her other children. When the children fell asleep, she too dozed off due to overwhelming sleep. Upon waking, she found her infant in a severely distressed state from prolonged crying, which led to her being hospitalized. A few days later, the baby passed away due to that condition. The question is: is the mother obligated to offer expiation (kaffārah)?
❖ Answer:
Based on the stated circumstances, the mother is not obligated to offer any expiation, because she was in no way a direct cause of the child's death.
وبالله التوفيق
(Former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Shaykh Ibn Baz رحمه الله)
