Back to search

Why do scholars unanimously agree that the lineage of a child born of adultery should not be attributed to the adulterer, despite the existence of DNA analysis (ADN) that proves paternity, and the adulterer's refusal to acknowledge it, and should modern scientific developments be taken into account in this matter?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The majority of jurists do not attribute a child to the fornicator, even if the fornicator claims him, based on the Almighty's saying: "Call them by their fathers' names; that is more just in the sight of Allah." And the fornicator is not a legal father. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, ruled that a child born of fornication is not attributed to the fornicator and does not inherit from him. Some scholars, such as the Hanafis, went on to permit attributing the child to the fornicator judicially if he marries the fornicatress and claims the child without explicitly stating fornication, but religiously, he is not permitted to do so. Al-Mawardi affirmed that if the fornicator admits that the child is from fornication, he is not attributed to him. As for DNA, it is not relied upon to prove the lineage of a child born of fornication because the Sharia has nullified this lineage. The opinion permitting attribution does not obligate the fornicator, so he is not blamed for not attributing the child. As for the issue of living without lineage, it is a trial from Allah, and a person is not blamed for what is beyond his control; he must be patient and content with Allah's decree and destiny.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy