The Right of Custody (Hadanah) for Young Children of Interfaith Couples

This study discusses the issue of the right of custody (hadanah) for young children of interfaith couples following divorce. The title elaboration clarifies that this discussion centers on determining who has the greater right to custody, particularly when one parent converts to Islam while the other remains in their original religion, with reference to an incident during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The research problem arises from the dispute over whether Islam is a mandatory condition for obtaining the right of hadanah over a Muslim child, leading to significant differences of opinion among the schools of Islamic jurisprudence (madhahib). The study's objectives are to analyze the differing views of the major schools of jurisprudence (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali) regarding the condition of Islam for the right of hadanah, and to evaluate the strength of each school's arguments and evidence to determine the most preponderant (rajih) and contextually appropriate opinion. The methodology employed is a qualitative library-based study using a content analysis approach on primary sources of jurisprudence such as authoritative classical texts and textual evidence (naqli), namely the Quran and Hadith, relied upon by each school. The study's findings reveal two main opinions. The Hanafi and Maliki schools hold that Islam is not an absolute condition; a non-Muslim mother who is a dhimmi (a protected non-Muslim citizen in an Islamic state) has the right to custody of a Muslim child, provided the child is not yet mumayyiz (around the age of seven) and there is no fear of the child being influenced by the mother's religion. However, the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools firmly maintain that Islam is a fundamental condition; the right of hadanah is exclusively for a Muslim custodian to protect the child's faith (aqidah) and best interests. The study concludes that the opinion of the Shafi'i school, which makes Islam a mandatory condition, is more preponderant and suitable for application in the contemporary context to guarantee the preservation of the child's religion, which is the highest priority, thereby protecting the Muslim child from exposure to elements that could harm their faith.

Grave Relocation, application, terengganu

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