family law

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The issue in this question is whether Fariz could claim the custody of both of his children, a daughter aged 10, who was born five months after the marriage and a son aged 4. It is obvious that this question is about the legitimacy of the child and the custody of a child or the right of hadanah in Muslim Law. For the purpose of answering this question the first part shall discuss on the claim of custody right of the daughter and the second part shall discuss on the claim for custody right of the son.
Custody Right of the Daughter:
The Islamic law has made a clear-cut distinction between paternity and maternity. Maternity is established in the woman who gives birth to the child eventhough the relationship of the mother with the natural father of the child may or may not be lawful. In contrast, the paternity of the child is established only by marriage between the parents. The legitimacy of a child is established only when paternity is established. Hence, the father’s right of hadanah is interrelated with legitimacy of the child. This is because a father’s right of hadanah comes into existence only after the legitimacy of the child has been proven. Failure to establish the legitimacy of the child, will cause the applicant to lose the custody right.
With regard to this matter, the Shafii school of law is in the opinion that where a child is born to a woman who is married to a man after six months from the date of the marriage; or within four years of the termination of the marriage, the mother not having remarried, the paternity of the child is established with the husband.
Similarly section 110 of the Act stated that:
Where a child is born to a woman who is married to a man more than six qamariah months from the date of the marriag...

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... is still married to Fazli. Her act of cheating her husband can be considered as open and gross immorality. Moreover, Suria also wanted to marry her lover. Thus, Suria had breached the prohibition in section 83. This section had stated that in order for a mother to maintain the right of custody to the children, she must not behave in immoral manner and she must not marry with a person who is not related to her children. Failure to comply with the prohibition, will render her right to custody to be invalidated and cause the right to be transferred to the father the child.
In conclusion, Fariz can only make a claim for the custody right of his son, since Suria had acted immorally and was going to marry with someone else who is not related to her children. However, he cannot claim for custody right of his daughter because she is considered as an illegitimate child.

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