The legal status of a foundling (Laqit) when lineage is disputed and attributed by Qiyafah (physiognomy)?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Foundlings
Primary text
If the Qiafah (physiognomist) attributes a foundling to be a non-believer or a slave, his status is not ruled to be that of disbelief or slavery. This is because freedom and Islam are established for him based on the apparent condition of the dwelling place (Dar), and this status is not removed merely by suspicion or conjecture, just as it is not removed by the solitary claim of an individual. The statement of the Qiafah is accepted concerning lineage due to necessity for its establishment and because it does not contradict the apparent state. Furthermore, a solitary claim is sufficient for lineage, whereas establishing slavery or disbelief contradicts the apparent state.