Child Custody (Hadana) Timeline Calculator
Last updated: June 2026 · Free · No sign-up required
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In classical fiqh the mother holds default custody (hadana) of young children — “You have more right to him as long as you do not marry,” the Prophet ﷺ told a divorced mother (Abu Dawud 2276). Where the four Sunni schools differ is when that default ends: at 7 or 9, at puberty or marriage, or when the child chooses. This tool converts those positions into actual dates for your child.
Enter the date of birth, gender and madhhab to see the weaning milestone (two lunar years, Quran 2:233), the age of discernment, and each school’s hadana milestone side by side. It is an educational map of the classical positions — modern family courts apply statutory law and the child’s best interests, so treat this as study material, never legal advice.
Quick reference
| School | Boys | Girls |
|---|---|---|
| Hanafi | Mother until 7, then father | Mother until 9, then father |
| Maliki | Mother until puberty | Mother until marriage |
| Shafiʻi | Child chooses at 7 | Child chooses at 7 |
| Hanbali | Boy chooses at 7 | Mother until 9, then father |
mosque Calculated to Shariah-compliant formulas
Every Islamic calculator on CalcaTools uses formulas from recognised Shariah authorities — the Hilal Committee's Hijri conversion tables, the MWL/ISNA/Umm al-Qura prayer-time methods, the four-school consensus for Zakat Nisab, and the Faraid distribution rules from classical fiqh. The exact authority is cited on every tool page.
menu_book Sunni & Shia rules side by side
For tools where the calculation differs between schools (Faraid inheritance, certain Zakat triggers, prayer-time conventions), we surface the choice as a selector and document the difference in the methodology block. Pick the school that matches your tradition — the answer adjusts.
savings Zakat with the live Nisab
Zakat tools fetch the current spot gold/silver price (or let you enter your local rate) so the Nisab threshold reflects today's value, not a stale figure from last year. The 2.5% rate is the standard hawl-based calculation; agricultural Zakat (1/10 or 1/20) is available on the dedicated Ushr calculator.
verified For guidance, not a fatwa
These calculators give you the number — they do not give a fatwa. For complex personal situations (inheritance with revoked rights, mixed-asset Zakat, late prayer makeup rules), please confirm with a qualified scholar in your tradition. We're here to help with the arithmetic, not to replace your local imam.
Interpretation guide
| Phase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hadana (0–7) | Mother's default custody in all four schools — her right unless she is unfit |
| Tamyiz (~7) | Age of discernment — choice or transfer triggers in most schools |
| Milestone reached | The school's default transfer/choice age has passed |
| Modern courts | Statutory family law usually overrides these classical defaults |
Formula & methodology
Formula: Milestone date = date of birth + school's hadana age (boy/girl); nursing ends at 2 lunar years (Quran 2:233)
- Enter the child's date of birth, select boy or girl, and pick the fiqh school.
- The timeline shows the end of the nursing period (2 lunar years), the age of discernment (~7), and the school's hadana milestone date.
- All four schools' milestone dates are listed side by side for comparison.
Worked example: a boy born 15 March 2020 under the Hanafi school: nursing milestone 15 Mar 2022, tamyiz 15 Mar 2027 — the mother's default custody runs until 15 March 2027 (age 7), after which care transfers to the father while the mother retains visitation.
Frequently asked questions
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