Paternity
Total Hadiths 22
Authentic Hadiths on Paternity and Child Lineage in Islam
These authentic hadiths give us clear guidance on how paternity and child lineage are established in Islam. The core principle taught by Prophet Muhammad is that a child's lineage is directly tied to the "owner of the bed," meaning the lawful marriage. In a famous dispute over a child's custody, the Prophet ruled that the boy belonged to the lawful household where he was born, firmly stating that adultery gives no legal right to paternity. Additionally, these narrations explain what happens in extreme cases of broken trust. According to Islamic scholars, if a husband formally denies his fatherhood through a strict legal oath called Lian, the marriage ends immediately. In such situations, the Prophet ruled that the child's lineage is legally connected solely to the mother. Together, these teachings protect family honor, clarify paternity rights, and secure the welfare of children.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " كُفْرٌ بِامْرِئٍ ادِّعَاءُ نَسَبٍ لاَ يَعْرِفُهُ أَوْ جَحْدُهُ وَإِنْ دَقَّ " .
It was narrated from ‘Amr bin Shu’aib, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “It is disbelief for a man to attribute himself to someone other than his father knowingly, or to deny his connection to his father, even subtly.”*
[1] In his notes on Musnad Ahmad Sindi said: "By negating his father's relationship to his grandfather and even further."Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2744In-book reference : Book 23, Hadith 26English translation : Vol. 4, Book 23, Hadith 2744
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
وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حُجَيْنٌ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، كَانَ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِنَحْوِ حَدِيثِهِمْ.
A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) through another chain of transmitters.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1500dIn-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 27USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3577
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " الْوَلَدُ لِصَاحِبِ الْفِرَاشِ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The boy is for the owner of the bed."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6750In-book reference : Book 85, Hadith 27USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 80, Hadith 742
حَدَّثَنَا أَصْبَغُ بْنُ الْفَرَجِ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرٌو، عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ، عَنْ عِرَاكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ تَرْغَبُوا عَنْ آبَائِكُمْ، فَمَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ فَهُوَ كُفْرٌ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not deny your fathers (i.e. claim to be the sons of persons other than your fathers), and whoever denies his father, is charged with disbelief."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6768In-book reference : Book 85, Hadith 44USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 80, Hadith 759
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " كَانَتِ امْرَأَتَانِ مَعَهُمَا ابْنَاهُمَا، جَاءَ الذِّئْبُ فَذَهَبَ بِابْنِ إِحْدَاهُمَا فَقَالَتْ لِصَاحِبَتِهَا إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ. وَقَالَتِ الأُخْرَى إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ. فَتَحَاكَمَتَا إِلَى دَاوُدَ ـ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ـ فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلْكُبْرَى، فَخَرَجَتَا عَلَى سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ ـ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ ـ فَأَخْبَرَتَاهُ فَقَالَ ائْتُونِي بِالسِّكِّينِ أَشُقُّهُ بَيْنَهُمَا. فَقَالَتِ الصُّغْرَى لاَ تَفْعَلْ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ. هُوَ ابْنُهَا. فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلصُّغْرَى ". قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَاللَّهِ إِنْ سَمِعْتُ بِالسِّكِّينِ قَطُّ إِلاَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ، وَمَا كُنَّا نَقُولُ إِلاَّ الْمُدْيَةَ.
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "There were two women with whom there were their two sons. A wolf came and took away the son of one of them. That lady said to her companion, 'The wolf has taken your son.' The other said, 'But it has taken your son.' So both of them sought the judgment of (the Prophet) David who judged that the boy should be given to the older lady.Then both of them went to (the Prophet) Solomon, son of David and informed him of the case. Solomon said, 'Give me a knife so that I may cut the child into two portions and give one half to each of you.' The younger lady said, 'Do not do so; may Allah bless you! He is her child.' On that, he gave the child to the younger lady." Abu Huraira added: By Allah! I had never heard the word 'Sakkin' as meaning knife, except on that day, for we used to call it "Mudya".
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6769In-book reference : Book 85, Hadith 45USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 80, Hadith 760
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ الْحُبَابِ، عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدَةَ، حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ حَرْبٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ آيَةُ اللِّعَانِ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَيُّمَا امْرَأَةٍ أَلْحَقَتْ بِقَوْمٍ مَنْ لَيْسَ مِنْهُمْ فَلَيْسَتْ مِنَ اللَّهِ فِي شَىْءٍ وَلَنْ يُدْخِلَهَا جَنَّتَهُ وَأَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ أَنْكَرَ وَلَدَهُ وَقَدْ عَرَفَهُ احْتَجَبَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَفَضَحَهُ عَلَى رُءُوسِ الأَشْهَادِ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Then the Verse of Li’an was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Any woman who attributed her child to people to whom he does not belong, then she has no relation to (the religion of) Allah, and she will never enter Paradise, and any man who rejects his child, while he recognizes him, Allah will screen Himself from him on the Day of Resurrection and disgrace him before the witnesses.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2743In-book reference : Book 23, Hadith 25English translation : Vol. 4, Book 23, Hadith 2743
وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ وَعَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لِقُتَيْبَةَ - قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي فَزَارَةَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ إِنَّ امْرَأَتِي وَلَدَتْ غُلاَمًا أَسْوَدَ . فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " هَلْ لَكَ مِنْ إِبِلٍ " . قَالَ نَعَمْ . قَالَ " فَمَا أَلْوَانُهَا " . قَالَ حُمْرٌ . قَالَ " هَلْ فِيهَا مِنْ أَوْرَقَ " . قَالَ إِنَّ فِيهَا لَوُرْقًا . قَالَ " فَأَنَّى أَتَاهَا ذَلِكَ " . قَالَ عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونَ نَزَعَهُ عِرْقٌ . قَالَ " وَهَذَا عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونَ نَزَعَهُ عِرْقٌ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
There came a person to the Prophet (may peace he upon him) ) from Banu Fazara and said: My wife has given birth to a child who is black, whereupon Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: Have you any camels? He said: Yes. He again said: What is this colour? He said: They are red. He said: Is there a dusky one among them? He said: Yes, there are dusky ones among them He said: How has it come about? He said: It is perhaps the strain to which it has reverted, whereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: It is perhaps the strain to which he (the child) has reverted.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1500aIn-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 24USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3574
وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، وَحَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، - وَاللَّفْظُ لِحَرْمَلَةَ - قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ، وَهْبٍ أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّصلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ امْرَأَتِي وَلَدَتْ غُلاَمًا أَسْوَدَ وَإِنِّي أَنْكَرْتُهُ . فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " هَلْ لَكَ مِنْ إِبِلٍ " . قَالَ نَعَمْ . قَالَ " مَا أَلْوَانُهَا " . قَالَ حُمْرٌ . قَالَ " فَهَلْ فِيهَا مِنْ أَوْرَقَ " . قَالَ نَعَمْ . قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " فَأَنَّى هُوَ " . قَالَ لَعَلَّهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ يَكُونُ نَزَعَهُ عِرْقٌ لَهُ . فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " وَهَذَا لَعَلَّهُ يَكُونُ نَزَعَهُ عِرْقٌ لَهُ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
A desert Arab came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said: My wife has given birth to a dark-complexioned child and I have disowned him. Thereupon Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: Have you any camels? He said: Yes. He said: What is their colour? He said? They are red. He said: Is there anyone dusky among them? He said: Yes. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: How has it come about? He said: Messenger of Allah, it is perhaps due to the strain to which it has reverted, whereupon the Prophet (ﷺ) said: It (the birth) of the black child may be due to the strain to which he (the child) might have reverted.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1500cIn-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 26USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3576
حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ قَزَعَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما أَنَّ رَجُلاً، لاَعَنَ امْرَأَتَهُ فِي زَمَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَانْتَفَى مِنْ وَلَدِهَا فَفَرَّقَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَهُمَا، وَأَلْحَقَ الْوَلَدَ بِالْمَرْأَةِ.
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
A man and his wife had a case of Lian (or Mula'ana) during the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the man denied the paternity of her child. The Prophet (ﷺ) gave his verdict for their separation (divorce) and then the child was regarded as belonging to the wife only.
[2] Such a mother would inherit the share prescribed for her in the Qur'ān from her child's inheritance and he would be her heir if she died before him.Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6748In-book reference : Book 85, Hadith 25USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 80, Hadith 740
