Does committing adultery in the past and repenting from it affect the mother's right to custody of her children after divorce, especially if the mother is righteous and religiously committed?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
"He who repents of a sin is like one who has no sin." Therefore, neither the husband nor anyone else should reproach his brother for a sin once he has repented. As for the custody of children after divorce, the mother has a greater right to it until the age of seven, provided she does not remarry. If she remarries, her right is forfeited, and custody transfers to the next eligible person. When they reach the age of seven, some jurists hold that they should be given the choice between their parents, while others differentiate between male and female children.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/42839
Where this answer came from
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 42839
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy