Custody of the child is a right and duty upon the mother, irrespective of whether she is a Muslim or not as long as the child needs this care. If the child no longer needs the care, then the situation is examined. If both of the parents are Muslim then the child, whether boy or girl, chooses whomever they would like to live with, and they will join whomever they choose, irrespective of whether that was the man or woman. If one of them is non-Muslim, then there is no choice between them; and they rather will join the Muslim parent.

The evidence for this article is what was narrated by Abdullah Bin Amr b. Al-‘As:

. أَنَّ امْرَأَةً قَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، إِنَّ ابْنِي هَذَا كَانَ بَطْنِي لَهُ وِعَاءً، وَثَدْيِي لَهُ « سِقَاءً، وَحِجْرِي لَهُ حِوَاءً، وَإِنَّ أَبَاهُ طَلَّقَنِي وَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَ نْ تَزِعَهُ مِنِّي، فَ قَالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ » أَنْتِ أَحَقُّ بِهِ مَا لَمْ تَ نْكِحِي :.

“A woman said “O Messenger of Allah (saw), this is my son whom my stomach carried, my breast is a water-skin for him, and my lap is a guard for him. His father has divorced me and wants to take him away from me”. So he said “You have more right to him as long as you do not remarry”” (reported by Abu Dawud and Al-Hakim who authenticated it, and Al-Dhahabi confirmed it). This indicates that the mother has more right to the child while they still require nursing, since the Messenger (saw) ruled for her to continue nursing him as long as she was not married, and did not give the child the choice, which indicates that he still required nursing. It is narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah from Umar (ra) with an authentic chain whose reporters are all trustworthy that he divorced Umm ‘Asim, then came to her while ‘Asim was in her lap, and wanted to take him from her. The two of them argued until the young boy began crying, and so they went to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (ra) who said “Her touch, lap and smell are better for him than you, until he grows up and then can choose for himself”. Accordingly the young child who still needs nursing remains the mother’s right and it is obligatory upon her and similarly upon her mother and grandmother, and upon every women from those who have the right of custody.