Chapter 367 - Prohibition of attributing wrong Fatherhood

Sa`d bin Abu Waqqas said: The Prophet said,

"He who (falsely) attributes his fatherhood to anyone besides his real father, knowing that he is not his father, will be forbidden to enter Jannah.'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Abu Hurairah said: The Prophet said,

"Do not turn away from your fathers, for he who turns away from his father, will be guilty of committing an act of disbelief.'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]


Commentary: To attribute one's fatherhood to someone other than one's real father due to the latter's poverty or in order to live a life of ease and comfort under the care of the person to whom one wishes to attribute his fatherhood, knowing that it is not lawful, is an act of Kufr (disbelief). If someone, however, does so without considering this unlawful act to be lawful, will in fact, be committing a major sin for which he will be punished in Hell-fire. This Hadith stresses the importance of safeguarding one's lineage and that of fulfilling the fathers' rights over their children.

Yazid bin Sharik bin Tariq said: I saw `Ali giving a Khutbah (sermon) from the pulpit and I heard him saying: "By Allah, we have no book to read except Allah's Book and what is written in this scroll. He unrolled the scroll which showed a list of what sort of camels to be given as blood-money, and other legal matters relating to killing game in the sanctuary of Makkah and the expiation thereof. In it was also written: The Messenger of Allah said:

`Al-Madinah is a sanctuary from Air to Thaur (mountains). He who innovates in this territory new ideas in Islam, commits a sin therein, or shelters the innovators, will incur the Curse of Allah, the angels, and all the people, and Allah will accept from him neither repentance nor a ransom on the Day of Resurrection. The asylum (pledge of protection) granted by any Muslim (even of the) lowest status is to be honoured and respected by all other Muslims, and whoever betrays a Muslim in this respect (by violating the pledge) will incur the Curse of Allah, the angels, and all the people; and Allah will accept from him neither repentance nor a ransom on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever attributes his fatherhood to someone other than his (real) father, and takes someone else as his master other than his (real) master without his permission, will incur the Curse of Allah, the angels and all the people, and Allah will accept from him neither repentance nor a ransom on the Day of Resurrection.'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].


Commentary: Air is a small mountain near Al-Madinah and Thaur is also a small mountain behind the famous Mount Uhud. The area between these two mountains is the forbidden area. It means that like the Haram of Makkah, no game should be killed, no trees or plants of this area should be cut and no disbeliever or polytheists should enter its boundary. The words "a'dl" and "sarf" translated here as 'repentance' and 'ransom' respectively also mean obligatory and voluntary (Nafl) acts of worship.

It has been established here that any act of disobedience or sin committed in Al-Madinah becomes a greater sin than if it is committed anywhere else. This Hadith also establishes that the claim that `Ali  was given some specific knowledge of Khilafah (caliphate), which was not given to anybody else is also false.

The Hadith also makes it clear that attributing one's fatherhood to someone other than his real father is a grave sin.

Abu Dharr reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying:

"A person who attributes his fatherhood to anyone other than his real father, knowing that he is not his father, commits an act of disbelief. And he who makes a claim of anything which in fact does not belong to him, is none of us. He should make his abode in Hell, and he who labels anyone as disbeliever or calls him the enemy of Allah and he is in fact not so, his charge will revert to him.'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].


Commentary: These particular sins mentioned in the Hadith are great and are strictly forbidden. Every Muslim should remain away from them. May Allah save us all from these sins. Ameen