(1) Ibn Hubayra (2/244) said: “The jurists disagreed when the parents separate while a child remains between them. Abu Hanifa—in one of the two transmitted opinions—held that the mother has priority with respect to a boy, on condition that he can manage on his own regarding food, drink, clothing, wudu, cleaning himself after relieving himself, and putting on his trousers; thereafter the father has the greater right. The mother likewise has priority over a girl until she reaches puberty, and in neither case is the child given a choice. Malik said: the mother has priority over a girl until she marries and consummation takes place, and over a boy until his front teeth fall out; another report from him states that the mother has priority over a boy until puberty, and this is his well-known view. Al-Shafi‘i held that the mother has priority over both boy and girl until the age of seven, after which the child may choose between the parents; he made no distinction between them. From Ahmad there are two reports. According to one, the mother has priority over a boy until the age of seven, after which the boy is given the choice; whichever parent he chooses then takes custody. As for a girl, she is assigned to the father after seven without being given a choice. The second report agrees with the position of Abu Hanifa.” (2) Ibn Hubayra (2/244) said: “They concur that custody (hadanah) belongs to the mother so long as she does not remarry, and they likewise concur that if she remarries and the marriage is consummated, her right to custody lapses.” See also: al-Iqnaʿ, 1/313, by the same author (may Allah have mercy on him).