Al-Muqaddimāt al-Mumahhidāt - Ibn Rush al-Jadd - (3/134)

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Likewise, a foundling is free, and the person who takes him in has no right of patronage over him. Some, however, have said that his patronage belongs to the person who takes him in. They cite the statement of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, may Allah be pleased with him: “He is free; his patronage belongs to you, and his maintenance falls to us.” We likewise understand this to mean that ‘Umar intended that the finder should have guardianship over him, attend to his affairs, and receive the reward for raising him, while his maintenance should be borne by the public treasury. The evidence for this is the Prophet’s statement, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “Patronage belongs only to the one who emancipates.”

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Some have said that a foundling is a slave belonging to the person who takes him in. This view has no basis, for he must either be the son of an enslaved woman, in which case he belongs to her master and the finder may not take ownership of him, or the son of a free woman, in which case he is free.

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As for the report that ‘Ā’isha and Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, said concerning children born of fornication, “Set them free and treat them well,” their words concerning freedom are to be understood as declaring to them that they are free. Such usage is permissible in speech, as in the Prophet’s statement, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “No child can repay his father unless he finds him enslaved, buys him, and sets him free.” Nor is continued] ownership of a father by his child, or of a child by his father, possible, for being someone’s son or father is incompatible with being his slave. The evidence is the saying of Allah, Mighty and Majestic:

“And they say, ‘The Most Merciful has taken a son.’ Glory be to Him! Rather, they are honored servants.” [al-Anbiyā’: 26]

And He, Exalted is He, says:

“It is not fitting for the Most Merciful to take a son.” [Maryam: 92]

“There is no one in the heavens and the earth but will come to the Most Merciful as a servant.” [Maryam: 93]

فصل وكذلك من التقط لقيطا فهو حر ولا ولاء له عليه وقد قال قوم: إن ولاءه لمن التقطه. واحتجوا بقول عمر بن الخطاب ﵁ هو حر ولك ولاؤه وعلينا نفقته. وهذا محمول أيضا عندنا على أن عمر إنما أراد أن له ولايته والقيام بأموره والثواب على تربيته، وعلى بيت المال نفقته بدليل قول النبي ﷺ: «إنما الولاء لمن أعتق». فصل ومن الناس من قال إن اللقيط عبد لمن التقطه، وهذا لا وجه له، لأنه لا يخلو من أن يكون ابن أمة مملوكة فهو لسيدها لا يحل لملتقطه أن يتملك، أو يكون ابن حرة فهو حر. فصل وما روي عن عائشة وابن عمر ﵄ أنهما قالا في أولاد الزنى: أعتقوهم وأحسنوا إليهم. فإن مخرج ذلك في أمر الحرية على الإعلام لهم بأنهم أحرار، وهذا جائز في الكلام، كقول النبي ﷺ: «لا يجزي ولد والده إلا أن يجده عبدا مملوكا فيشتريه فيعتقه» وليس يجوز بقاء] ملك الولد على والده ولا ملك الوالد على ولده لأنه يتنافى أن يكون ابنا عبدا أو أبا عبدا، بدليل قول الله ﷿: ﴿وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَنُ وَلَدًا سُبْحَانَهُ بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُكْرَمُونَ﴾ [الأنبياء: ٢٦]. وقال تعالى: ﴿وَمَا يَنْبَغِي لِلرَّحْمَنِ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا﴾ [مريم: ٩٢] ﴿إِنْ كُلُّ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ إِلا آتِي الرَّحْمَنِ عَبْدًا﴾ [مريم: ٩٣]