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Text and translation
English translation
2270. It was reported from ‘Abd Khair, from Zaid bin Arqam, who said: “When ‘Alī, may Allāh be pleased with him, was in Yemen, three people were brought to him. They had all engaged in intercourse with a woman, in the same time frame, between two cycles. He asked two of them: ‘Will you agree to give the child to this one?’ They both replied: ‘No.’ And he asked all of them similarly, but every time he would ask any two, they would respond, ‘No.’ So he drew lots between them, and then gave the child to the one who drew the lot, and also made him pay two — thirds of the blood money. This was then mentioned to the Prophet ﷺ, who laughed until his molars could be seen.” (Hasan)
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Commentary
When both the sides of a matter (pros and cons) seem to be almost the same or of an equal weight and it becomes difficult to decide, it is then permissible to decide the issue by means of lots as ‘Alī, may Allāh be pleased with him, did, or, as the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ used to do for choosing any one of his wives to accompany him on his journey.
