Until when a divorced woman has the right of hadana

Question

Question: When Zayd gives his wife talaq, to whom should the right of upbringing of the minor children born of this wife belong, and until what age? For example, a man has three children: one about two months old, the second a boy of about four or four and a half years, and the third a girl of about six or six and a half years. These days are a time of turmoil and corruption (fitna and fasad), so Zayd wants to keep his children, except the youngest, under his own upbringing and supervision.

Answer

As long as this divorced wife of Zayd does not marry an unrelated man, the right of upbringing will belong to the children’s mother herself. It is not permissible for Zayd to separate the children from their mother until the boy begins to eat, drink, dress and perform istinja (washing after relieving himself)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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