Betrothing One’s Daughter to a Young Man Said to Be Illegitimate

Question

Among the biradari (kinship community) it is rumoured about a young man that he is illegitimate. May we betroth our daughter to this young man? Please inform us of the Shari‘a ruling in the light of the Qur’an and hadith.

Answer

An illegitimate child is one born to a woman who has not contracted a nikah. Calling anyone illegitimate without proof is haram. If this young man has a father according to the Shari‘a and he has not denied the lineage (nasab), then his lineage is undoubtedly established, and betrothing one’s daughter to him is permissible.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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