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Fatwa CenterA married Muslim woman found out that she was born out of wedlock
Question
I am a 24 year old muslim female, I just found out that I was born out of wedlock (zina). At the time my mother was a non-muslim while my father was a muslim. They married a year after I was born, and my mother later converted. I am concerned because I read that the child of Zina can not be attributed to the man who committed the sin. Does that mean that I must deal with my father as a strange man? Can I not unveil myself in front of him? Or not be alone with him? Also I was married and my father was the one to give me away, does this affect the status of my marriage? My parents also have 4 boys are they considered my lawful brothers?
I find myself incredibly angry at my father because he was a muslim and should of known better, and I am even more angry that I must now reconsider my relationship with him. I would truly appreciate any information as will as direct quotes from the Holy Quaran, or any Hadiths because my father does not believe that this should affect me and him at all. Thank You
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
In principle, you are traced back to that man because this is confirmed by certainty, and it can only be invalidated by certainty like it. So, if the matter you discovered is merely a matter of doubt, do not take it into consideration because the matter remains on the basic principle that this man is your father, since certainty is not invalidated by doubt. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "The child is for the owner of the bed." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Subsequently, your marriage is correct because the one who gave you in marriage was your guardian.
However, supposing that you were born out of an illegitimate relationship, there is a considerable opinion of some scholars that if the woman has no husband and the fornicator/adulterer requests that his illegitimate child be traced back to him, he is allowed to do so. This is the opinion of Al-Hasan, Ibn Seereen, Abu Haneefah, and Is-haaq, and it is the chosen opinion of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Al-Qayyim. For further information, see Fatwa 97254. Therefore, that man is your father and your marriage is correct because the one who gave you in marriage is your guardian.
Finally, we advise you to dismiss all doubts, and to be dutiful and kind to your father, particularly that he was the reason for bringing you and your mother into Islam. For further information about dutifulness to one's parents, see Fataawa 82254 and 87019.
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