What are the specific required phrases for the husband when negating paternity during Li'an?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Mutual Imprecation (Li'an)
Primary text
It suffices for the husband to state, 'I bear witness to Allah that she committed adultery,' and 'This child is not my offspring.' The apparent view of Al-Kharqi accepts these phrases.
Supporting text
Al-Qadi requires the husband to state, 'This child is from adultery, and he is not from me.' This is the position of Al-Shafi'i, who reasons that 'not from me' might mean not by origin or appearance, and specifying 'from adultery' is necessary because he might consider illicit intercourse (in a void marriage) as adultery, thus necessitating both statements for emphasis.