27/46. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3480 — Child Born on the Bed
If A Man Hints An Accusation About His Wife, And Wanted To Disown The Child
Hadith About Child Lineage and Heredity
Sunan an-Nasai : 3480
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3480
أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو حَيْوَةَ، - حِمْصِيٌّ - قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعَيْبُ بْنُ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَامَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي وُلِدَ لِي غُلاَمٌ أَسْوَدُ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " فَأَنَّى كَانَ ذَلِكَ " . قَالَ مَا أَدْرِي قَالَ " فَهَلْ لَكَ مِنْ إِبِلٍ " . قَالَ نَعَمْ . قَالَ " فَمَا أَلْوَانُهَا " . قَالَ حُمْرٌ . قَالَ " فَهَلْ فِيهَا جَمَلٌ أَوْرَقُ " . قَالَ فِيهَا إِبِلٌ وُرْقٌ . قَالَ " فَأَنَّى كَانَ ذَلِكَ " . قَالَ مَا أَدْرِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ نَزَعَهُ عِرْقٌ . قَالَ " وَهَذَا لَعَلَّهُ نَزَعَهُ عِرْقٌ " . فَمِنْ أَجْلِهِ قَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم هَذَا لاَ يَجُوزُ لِرَجُلٍ أَنْ يَنْتَفِيَ مِنْ وَلَدٍ وُلِدَ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَزْعُمَ أَنَّهُ رَأَى فَاحِشَةً .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
While we were with the Prophet, a man stood up and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, a black boy has been born to me.' The Messenger of Allah said: 'How did that happen?' He said: 'I do not know.' He said: 'Do you have camels?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'What color are they?' He said: 'Red.' He said: 'Are there any gray camels among them?' He said: 'There are some gray camels among them.' He said: 'Where do they come from?' He said: 'I do not know, O Allah's Messenger! Perhaps it is hereditary.' He said: 'Perhaps this is also hereditary.'Because of this, the Messenger of Allah decreed the following: 'It is not allowed for a man, to disown a child who was born on his bed, unless he claimed that he had seen an immoral act (Fahishah).'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3480In-book reference : Book 27, Hadith 92English translation : Vol. 4, Book 27, Hadith 3510
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3480
This hadith about child lineage gives the ruling connected to the Banu Fazarah case. A man said that a black boy had been born to him. The Prophet asked him about his camels, their red color, and the gray camels among them. The man said he did not know where the gray came from except that it may be hereditary. The Prophet said the child may also be hereditary. Because of this, the Messenger of Allah decreed that it is not allowed for a man to disown a child born on his bed unless he claims that he saw an immoral act. The hadith is clear in protecting lineage from being denied based only on appearance.
What we learn from this hadith
- A child’s different appearance may be explained by heredity.
- The Prophet did not treat appearance alone as a reason to deny lineage.
- A child born on a man’s bed is not to be disowned without the stated claim.
- Lineage matters should be handled with proof, not suspicion alone.
