Discover the meaning of the term Al-ḥḍana (حضانة) in Islamic vocabulary.
Contents :
Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 2 min readIt is the rearing of the child.
The rearing of the child: from the bird's hadana, gathering its eggs to itself under its wing; so in the Durr.
With kasra: the rearing of the child. The one most entitled to the child's custody is its mother, before weaning and after, unless she apostatizes or is openly immoral and unreliable. Then the mother's mother, then the father's mother, then the full sister, then the sister by the mother, then the sister by the father. In the transmitted version: the maternal aunt has prior right over the paternal sister, then the maternal aunts likewise, then the paternal aunts likewise, that is: full, then uterine, then consanguine. Whoever of these kinswomen marries one not unlawful to the child loses her right of custody, then regains it after separation. Then the 'asabat in their order of inheritance. The mother and grandmother are most entitled to the custody of the little boy until he is independent: eating, drinking, dressing and relieving himself alone; this independence is reckoned at seven years. They are also most entitled to the custody of the little girl until she menstruates. Other kinswomen have custody of the girl until she is desired: that she reach a stature matching a possible husband, which varies with conditions: stoutness or thinness, strength or weakness, ugliness or beauty.
The management of the interests of one who cannot govern his own affairs.
In language: the rearing of the child; in religious law: undertaking to preserve one who cannot preserve himself, such as a child, and to rear and care for him.
It is the rearing of the child; the hidn is the carrying of the child at the breast, below the armpits to the flanks.