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Fatwa CenterThe theory of telegony (indirect heredity) is wrong
Question
What is the Islamic ruling on telegony (theory of heredity)? (Some scholars have used it to discourage adultery)
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 
is His slave and Messenger.
As regards what is called telegony, which means that if a woman had intercourse with a previous male and then she gives birth to offspring from a later male, this offspring may take some genetic characteristics from the previous male, this theory was prevalent in the nineteenth century; however, modern scientific discoveries in genetics proved that this theory is wrong because the fetus takes features from the genes of the mother and father. The previous husband of the divorced or widowed woman has no relation in determining the genes of the fetus.
For clarification of some of the reasons for the prohibition of Zina (fornication or adultery) in Islam, please refer to Fataawa 85254 and 85425.
Allaah Knows best.
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