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She hugged her father in a public place

Question

i recently sent you a question regarding incest between father and daughter. i had forgotten to mention a few more things and i would like to write them down now.
my friend has been very effected by this problem and would really appreciate it if you could assist her it is regarding incest. in a public place she was hugging her father with ppl watchn and it looked as though her father was her partner (boyfriend) she also knew this at the time of hugging her father and did not mind the ppl thinkng this but bear in mind that she did not have the intention of lust or sexual feelings towards her father at the time but she was full awar of people watchn her. she is worried that this might fall into the catogory of incest because she did not mind ppl thinkn that he was her partner. will this, according to the hanafi madhab effect her fathers relationship with the mother?
jazakallah for your help.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

It is religiously permissible for a daughter to hug her father if there is no suspicion and if she does not fear any temptation. However, if this raises suspicion or that she fears temptation, then in this case, it becomes forbidden. Abu Daawood  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him reported that Abu Bakr  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him kissed his daughter ‘Aa’ishah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her on her cheek. Moreover, Ibn ‘Abbaas  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him said: The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) hugged one of his daughters who was breathing her last, and he put her (head) on his chest and she died while he was holding her closely against his chest.” [Ahmad, Ibn Hibbaan and At-Tirmithi] Shaykh Al-Albaani  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him classified this Hadeeth as Saheeh (authentic).

Therefore, this should not be done in public as this contradicts being modest which is a good trait. ‘Imraan Ibn Husayn  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: Modesty does not bring anything except good.” [Muslim]

Hence, your female friend is wrong by doing so in public especially that doing so in public makes people suspect her and her father and doubt about them, whereas avoiding suspicion is something that is religiously required. Therefore, she must avoid doing so in the future.

In any case, this conduct does not affect the marital relationship between her father and mother at all, neither according to the Hanafi School of jurisprudence nor according to any other School of jurisprudence.

Allaah Knows best.

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