19/1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1500b — Disowning a Child
Chapter
Hadith About Disowning a Child in Islam
Sahih Muslim : 1500b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1500b
وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالَ ابْنُ رَافِعٍ حَدَّثَنَا وَقَالَ الآخَرَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ، أَبِي فُدَيْكٍ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، جَمِيعًا عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ . نَحْوَ حَدِيثِ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ . غَيْرَ أَنَّ فِي، حَدِيثِ مَعْمَرٍ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَلَدَتِ امْرَأَتِي غُلاَمًا أَسْوَدَ وَهُوَ حِينَئِذٍ يُعَرِّضُ بِأَنْ يَنْفِيَهُ . وَزَادَ فِي آخِرِ الْحَدِيثِ وَلَمْ يُرَخِّصْ لَهُ فِي الاِنْتِفَاءِ مِنْهُ .
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri with the same chain of transmitters. In the hadith transmitted on the authority of Ma'mar, the (words are): " Messenger of Allah, my wife has given birth to a dark-complexioned boy, and he at that time was intending to disown him." And this addition has been made at the end of the hadith:" He (the Holy Prophet) did not permit him to disown him."
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1500bIn-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 25USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3575
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1500b
This narration adds an important detail to the Hadith about disowning a child. The man said his wife had given birth to a dark-complexioned boy, and the report explains that he was hinting at denying the child. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered him through the same camel example found in the related wording. The man already knew that a dusky camel could appear among red camels because of a returning strain. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used that point to show that a child’s different complexion could also be explained by family lineage. The ending is clear: the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not permit him to disown the child. The teaching stays close to fairness, caution, and protection from quick suspicion.
What we learn from this hadith
- A child should not be denied only because of a difference in complexion.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم guided the man through a simple example he could understand.
- Suspicion about lineage needs more than a surface-level observation.
