This is your father, and this your mother, so take whichever of them you wish by the hand
عن أبي ميمونة سلمى مولى من أهل المدينة رجلُ صِدق، قال: بينما أنا جالس مع أبي هريرة، جاءته امرأة فارِسَيّة معها ابنٌ لها فادَّعَيَاه، وقد طلَّقَها زوجُها، فقالت: يا أبا هريرة، ورَطَنَت له بالفارسية، زوجي يريد أن يذهب بابني، فقال أبو هريرة: اسْتَهِما عليه ورَطَنَ لها بذلك، فجاء زوجها، فقال: مَن يُحاقُّني في ولدي، فقال أبو هريرة: اللهم إني لا أقول هذا إلا أني سمعت امرأةً جاءت إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، وأنا قاعد عنده، فقالت: يا رسول الله، إن زوجي يريد أن يذهب بابني، وقد سقاني من بِئر أبي عِنَبَة، وقد نفعني، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم اسْتَهِما عليه، فقال زوجها: من يُحَاقُّنِي في ولدي؟ فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : «هذا أبوك، وهذه أمك فخُذْ بيدِ أيِّهما شِئت»، فأخذ بيد أمِّه، فانطلقت به.
Explanation
This Hadīth indicates the obligation of realizing the child's interest. A woman was separated from her husband and kept the child with her. It was as if something occurred that prevented the woman from keeping the child in her custody, despite of her need for him and of his need for her care and protection, something that the father could not provide. In response to this case, Abu Hurayrah narrated what he had heard from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
Custody is a kind of guardianship that is meant to raise the child and fulfill his interests. Before the age of discernment, the child remains with his mother unless she gets married. If the child attains the age of discernment and is capable of managing some of his affairs independently and does not need external help in many things, then the mother and the father have equal rights to the child's custody. The child is then given the choice of joining either of them.
Source
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