Should a son or daughter born out of wedlock search for their biological father, or should they remain silent to protect their mother's reputation?
If a child learns that he was conceived through an illegitimate means, he must be patient and entrust his affair to Allah. He is not permitted to demand that his mother reveal the identity of the perpetrator of this crime, for the water of zina (fornication/adultery) does not establish lineage. This child is attributed to his mother if she was unmarried (i.e., there was no marital bed). However, if she was married, the child is attributed to her legitimate husband, who owns the marital bed. The child must honor his mother and treat her kindly. Her sin should not drive him to disrespect or shun her.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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