14th October 2025
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
Question: If a married man committed zina with another woman and had an illegitimate child from her then is this male child a mahram to his daughter born from wedlock?
الجواب حامداً و مصلياً
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer: In reference to your query, according to the Sharīʿah, lineage (nasab) is established only through a valid nikāh (marriage). A child born through zinā (fornication) has no legitimate lineage and so, he will not be legally attributed to the biological father but to the mother instead.[1] He won’t inherit from his biological father either.[2] Despite this, marriage between this illegitimate child and his daughter born in wedlock is not permitted due to the closeness of the biological relationship and moreover.[3]
Due to non-establishment of nasab, the rules of hijāb must be maintained and khalwa (seclusion) is not permissible between them. Interaction should follow the general rulings related to non-mahrams.
[Allāh Knows Best]
Written by: Apa Sumayya Qazi Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed
Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam
JKN Fatawa Department
[1] Radul Muhtar, Kitāb al-Nikāh, Vol 3, pg, 360
ولدا الزنا لا يلحق بازاني وان أقرّ
[2] Fatawa Hindiyyāh, Kitāb al-Nikāh, Vol 3 pg, 352
لا ينسبونه الزنا إلى الزاني، ولا يرث أحدهما من الآخر
[3] Raddul Mukhtar, Kitāb al-Nikāh, Vol 3, Pg 29
(وَبِنْتِ أَخِيهِ وَأُخْتِهِ وَبِنْتِهَا) وَلَوْ مِنْ زِنًى (وَعَمَّتِهِ وَخَالَتُهُ) فَهَذِهِ السَّبْعَةُ
فِي كِتَابِ الرَّضَاعِ مِنْ أَنَّ الْبِنْتَ مِنْ الزِّنَى لَا تَحْرُمُ عَلَى عَمِّ الزَّانِي وَخَالِهِ لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَثْبُتْ نَسَبُهَا مِنْ الزَّانِي حَتَّى يَظْهَرَ فِيهَا حُكْمُ الرِّقَابَةِ، وَأَمَّا التَّحْرِيمُ عَلَى آبَاءِ الزَّانِي وَأَوْلَادِهِ فَلِاعْتِبَارِ الْجُزْئِيَّةِ وَلَا جُزْئِيَّةَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ الْعَمِّ وَالْخَالِ.
Raddul Mukhtar, Kitāb al-Nikāh, Vol 3, Pg 31
وَأَمَّا بِنْتُ زَوْجَةِ أَبِيهِ أَوْ ابْنُهُ فَحَلَالٌ (وَ) حَرُمَ (الْكُلُّ) مِمَّا مَرَّ تَحْرِيمُهُ نَسَبًا، وَمُصَاهَرَةً (رَضَاعًا) إلَّا مَا اُسْتُثْنِيَ فِي بَابِهِ. .
وَمُقْتَضَى تَقْيِيدِهِ بِالْفَرْعِ وَالْأَصْلِ أَنَّهُ لَا خِلَافَ فِي عَدَمِ الْحُرْمَةِ عَلَى غَيْرِهِمَا مِنْ الْحَوَاشِي كَالْأَخِ وَالْعَمِّ. وَفِي التَّنْجِيسِ زَنَى بِامْرَأَةٍ فَوَلَدَتْ فَأَرْضَعَتْ بِهَذَا اللَّبَنِ صَبِيَّةً لَا يَجُوزُ لِهَذَا الزَّانِي تَزَوُّجُهَا وَلَا لِأُصُولِهِ وَفُرُوعِهِ، وَالْعَمِّ الزَّانِي التَّزَوُّجُ بِهَا كَمَا لَوْ كَانَتْ وَلَدَتْ لَهُ مِنْ الزِّنَى، وَالْخَالُ مِثْلُهُ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَثْبُتْ نَسَبُهَا مِنْ الزَّانِي، حَتَّى يَظْهَرَ فِيهَا حُكْمُ الْقَرَابَةِ وَالتَّحْرِيمُ عَلَى أَبِي الزَّانِي وَأَوْلَادِهِ وَأَوْلَادِهِمْ لِاعْتِبَارِ الْجُزْئِيَّةِ وَلَا جُزْئِيَّةَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ الْعَمِّ، وَإِذَا ثَبَتَ ذَلِكَ فِي الْمُتَوَلِّدَةِ مِنْ الزِّنَى كَذَا فِي الْمُرْضَعَةِ بِلَبَنِ الزِّنَى. اهـ. قُلْت: وَهَذَا مُخَالِفٌ لِمَا مَرَّ مِنْ التَّعْمِيمِ فِي قَوْلِ الشَّارِحِ: وَلَوْ مِنْ زِنًى كَمَا نَبَّهْنَا عَلَيْهِ هُنَاكَ.