The marriage status is only considered during the time to which he attributed the adultery; for the child that she brings forth is attached to him if he does not disavow it, and he therefore needs to disavow it, and she was a wife during that time, so he possessed the right to disavow her child. And Allah knows best.

Section: If he claims the lineage of a pregnancy, the one who says: "His denial is invalid," says: "His claim of lineage is invalid." This is the explicit position narrated from Ahmad. Whoever permits its denial says: "His claim of lineage is valid." This is the school of al-Shafi'i; because it is ruled to exist, by the evidence of the obligation of maintenance and the suspension of inheritance, so his acknowledgment of it is valid, like a newborn. If he claims its lineage, he does not have the right to deny it thereafter, just as if he had claimed its lineage after delivery. And the one who says: "His claim of lineage is not valid," says: "If his claim of lineage were valid, it would have become binding upon him by failing to deny it, like a newborn, and it does not become binding upon him by consensus. Furthermore, resemblance has an effect in determining lineage, as evidenced by the hadith of the li'an, and that is specific to the period after delivery, so the validity of claiming lineage is also specific to it." According to this view, if he claims the lineage and then denies it after delivery, he has the right to do so. As for if he remains silent about it, and neither denies it nor claims it, it does not become binding upon him according to anyone whose opinion we know; because his silence allows for the possibility that it is because he is not certain of its existence except by performing li'an against her, for Abu Hanifa has held him bound by the child, as we previously mentioned.

Section: When his wife gives birth to a child and he remains silent regarding its denial, despite having the possibility to do so, its lineage becomes binding upon him, and he does not have the right to deny it after that. This is the view of al-Shafi'i. Abu Bakr said: This is not limited to a period of three, but rather it is based on custom: if it is night, then until morning comes and people go about; if he is hungry or thirsty, then until he eats or drinks, or sleeps if he is drowsy, or puts on his clothes, mounts his beast,