Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (10/390)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

the rights of Muslims and is subject to their obligations. Thus, if this child dies before reaching maturity, we wash him, shroud him, offer the funeral prayer over him, and bury him in Muslim graveyards. It will come later who inherits from him. If, after reaching the age of discernment, he wishes to become a disbeliever, we regard him as an apostate. It is well known that there is a difference between an apostate disbeliever and an original disbeliever: the original disbeliever remains upon his religion and is not compelled to accept Islam, whereas the apostate disbeliever is compelled to embrace Islam; otherwise, he is executed.

His statement, “His custody belongs to his trustworthy finder,” means that his care, upbringing, and maintenance are entrusted to the person who found him, on condition that the finder is trustworthy. If the one who found him is a trustworthy woman, such that we do not fear for him while he is in her care, then his custody belongs to her. If it is a trustworthy man, then his custody belongs to him. But if the finder is not trustworthy—for example, if he is openly sinful or known for seizing people’s property—then he has no right of custody. For the purpose of custody in all cases is to protect the child in custody and attend to his welfare. Thus, if we know that the finder is not trustworthy, he has no right of custody, and the judge assigns custody to a trustworthy person.

From this we know that custody is of great importance. The mother does not always have a greater right to it than the father, nor does the father always have a greater right to it than the mother. For this reason, the scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, said in the chapter on custody: “A child in custody is not to be left in the care of anyone who will not protect and properly raise him, whoever that may be—even if it is the mother.”

His statement, “He may spend on him without the permission of a judge,” means that the finder may spend on him without seeking the judge’s permission, because custody belongs to him. He spends on him from the property found with him. It has previously been mentioned that whatever is found with him, near him, or freshly buried, belongs to him.

للمسلمين وعليه ما على المسلمين، فلو مات هذا الطفل قبل أن يبلغ فإننا نغسله ونكفنه ونصلي عليه وندفنه في مقابر المسلمين، وسيأتي لمن يكون ميراثه، وإذا مَيَّزَ وأراد أن يكون كافراً اعتبرناه مرتداً، ومعلوم أن هناك فرقاً بين الكافر المرتد والكافر الأصلي، فالكافر الأصلي يبقى على دينه ولا نجبره على الإسلام، أما الكافر المرتد نجبره أن يسلم وإلا قتلناه. قوله: «وحضانته لواجده الأمين» يعني ضمه، وتربيته، وكفالته تكون لواجده، لكن بشرط أن يكون الواجد أميناً، فإذا كان الذي وجده امرأة وهي أمينة لا نخشى عليه بوجوده عندها، فحضانته للمرأة، وإذا كان رجلاً أميناً فحضانته للرجل، أما إذا كان غير أمين مثل أن يكون فاسقاً، أو مشهوراً باستلاب الأموال فإنه لا حضانة له؛ لأن المقصود بالحضانة في كل أحوالها حفظ المحضون والقيام بمصالحه، فإذا عرفنا أن الواجد ليس بأمين فلا حضانة له، والحاكم يجعل حضانته لشخص أمين، ومن هنا نعرف أن الحضانة لها أهمية كبيرة، وليست الأم أولى بها من الأب مطلقاً، ولا الأب أولى بها من الأم مطلقاً، ولهذا قال العلماء ﵏ في باب الحضانة: إن المحضون لا يقر بيد من لا يصونه ويصلحه مهما كان حتى لو كانت الأم. قوله: «وينفق عليه بغير إذن حاكم» أي: ينفق عليه الواجد دون أن يستأذن من القاضي؛ لأن الحضانة له، وينفق عليه مما معه، وسبق أن ما كان معه أو قريباً منه أو مدفوناً طرياً فهو له،