Q: I live in the city of Al-Rayn, of the tribe of Qahtan. I have a large family consisting of children and women. One of my daughters gave birth to a black baby girl, whose complexion is completely different from our family's. Some of my relatives are harshly critical and urge me to deny my paternity of this baby girl, but her mother refuses. I am doubtful about the lineage of this girl. Am I to blame, before Allah, if I remain silent? Guide me, may Allah reward you.

A: The child's dark complexion does not indicate that she does not belong to your family, for the strain to which the child has reverted may have come from your grandfathers and grandmothers. Any of her ancestors may have been black, so the child resembles them. Get rid of (Part No. 20; Page No. 338) doubts about her lineage. Those who blame you and urge you to disown or harm her on account of color are wrongful. It was authentically narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that: There came a man to the Prophet (peace he upon him) from Banu Fazarah and said, "My wife has given birth to a child who is black." By so saying he meant he wanted to deny paternity of such child. Whereupon Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "Do you have any camels?" He said, "Yes." He again said, "What is their color? He said, "They are red." He said, "Is there a dusky one among them?" He said, "Yes, there are dusky ones among them." He said, "How has it come about?" He said, "It is perhaps the strain to which it has reverted." Whereupon he (the Prophet) said, "It is perhaps the strain to which he (the child) has reverted." The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not allow him to deny his paternity of the child. (Reported by Ahmad, Al-Bukhari, Muslim, and Ahl-ul-Sunan [authors of Hadith compilations classified by jurisprudential themes]) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet, his family and Companions.