FatwaPenangMarriage & Family
Fatwa Mengenai Hukum Menggunakan Asid Deoksiribonukleik (DNA) Untuk Menentukan Status Nasab Anak
Can DNA testing be used to establish or deny a child's lineage?
Short answer
The Penang State Fatwa Committee ruled that DNA testing is only supporting evidence (qarinah) and cannot be the primary proof.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Penang State Mufti Department
- Date
- Status
- Fatwa committee decision
- Series
- Himpunan Fatwa (Warta)
- Topic
- Marriage & Family
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
The Penang State Fatwa Committee ruled that DNA testing is only supporting evidence (qarinah) and cannot be the primary proof. DNA may be used to establish lineage under a court order in certain cases such as swapped babies or children lost in disasters, but it cannot be used to deny lineage or take precedence over li'an. A father who wishes to deny a child through li'an must do so from the time his wife is confirmed pregnant until three days after delivery, and a denial after that is rejected. Guidelines for DNA testing by the authorities are to be tightened.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Walau bagaimanapun, Majma'al-Fiqh al -Islami menetapkan bahawa DNA tidak boleh digunakan untuk menafikan nasab anak apalagi digunakannya mendahului kaedah li'an;
Read the full fatwa on the Penang website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Penang State Mufti Department. “Fatwa Mengenai Hukum Menggunakan Asid Deoksiribonukleik (DNA) Untuk Menentukan Status Nasab Anak”, 3 July 2014. https://mufti.penang.gov.my/index.php/awam/fatwa-1/himpunan-fatwa#fatwa-mengenai-hukum-menggunakan-asid-deoksiribonukleik-dna-untuk-menentukan-status-nasab-anak-3-julai-2014. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/dna-testing-determine-child-lineage-ruling/