Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

As Salaam Alaekum,

We have been married for last ten years but we have not yet got children. Though there are no fertility problems, we have done a lot of treatment (me and my wife are both medically fit to have children) but only Almighty Allah knows best why we are not having children.

Now we are planning to adopt the child of my brother-in-law(my wife`s brother) who is in India and I am working in Gulf.

My question is: We will add child`s own father`s name (Imran) with his name (Saif) in the Applicant`s column of the passport (The child`s full name will be `Saif Imran`). Due to legal reasons, I have to give my name (as father) instead of his own father`s name in Father`s Name Column of passport. Is it permissible according to islamic teachings?

For Example : Child`s Name = Saif Imran

Father`s Name = Owaise

KINDLY REPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

JAZAKUMULLAHU KHAIR 

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Answer:

Adopted child name

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Statement: Though there are no fertility problems, we have done a lot of treatment (me and my wife are both medically fit to have children) but only Almighty Allah knows best why we are not having children.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chaper 42 Surah Shuraa verses 49-50:

49 To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He Wills. He bestows (children) male or female according to His Will (and Plan).

50 Or He bestows both males and females and He leaves barren whom He Wills: for He is Full of Knowledge and Power.

Dear and Beloved Brother in Islam, Allah Subhanah gives children to whomever He Wills and leaves barren whomever He Wills, thus involving each in a trial of gratefulness or patience. Rest assured that your Lord is well aware of the conditions and aspirations of each in His creation; thus keep your belief and trust in Him Alone and constantly implore Him in absolute humility and hope to remove your trial from you, and bestow upon you the blessing and mercy of children.

Allah Subhanah put the noble Prophet Zachariyaa (a..s.) to a similar test, and this is the supplication the noble Prophet (saws) made which was answered by Allah Subhanah, Who blessed him with a noble son, Prophet Yahyaa (a.s.).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 21 Surah Anbiyaa verses 89-90:

89 And (remember) Zakariya when he cried to his Lord: "O my Lord! Leave me not without offspring, though Thou art the Best of Inheritors.”

90 So We listened to him: and We granted him Yahya: We cured his wife's (barrenness) for him. These three were ever quick in emulation in good works: they used to call on Us with love, and reverence, and humble themselves before Us.

Beloved brother, recite the above supplication as often as is easy for you; it is expected that your Lord will ease your trial for you and your family, and provide you with righteous off-spring, Insha Allah.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 186: And if My servants ask you, O Prophet, concerning Me, tell them that I am quite near to them. I hear and answer the prayer of the suppliant, when he calls on Me. So let them respond to My call and believe in Me. (Convey this to them), perhaps they may be guided aright.

My question is: We will add child`s own father`s name (Imran) with his name (Saif) in the Applicant`s column of the passport (The child`s full name will be `Saif Imran`). Due to legal reasons, I have to give my name (as father) instead of his own father`s name in Father`s Name Column of passport. Is it permissible according to islamic teachings?

For Example : Child`s Name = Saif Imran

Father`s Name = Owaise

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verses 4-6:

4 Allah has not made for any man two hearts in his (one) body: nor has He made your wives whom ye divorce by Zihar your mothers: nor has He made your adopted sons your sons. Such is (only) your (manner of) speech by your mouths. But Allah tells (you) the Truth and He shows the (right) Way.

5 Call them by (the names) of their fathers: that is juster in the sight of Allah but if ye know not their father's (names call them) your Brothers in faith or your Maulas. But there is no blame on you if ye make a mistake therein: (what counts is) the intention of your hearts: and Allah is Oft-Returning Most Merciful.

6 The Prophet is closer to the Believers than their own selves and his wives are their mothers. Blood-relations among each other have closer personal ties in the Decree of Allah than (the Brotherhood of) Believers and Muhajirs: nevertheless do ye what is just to your closest friends: such is the writing in the Decree (of Allah).

Beloved Brother in Islam, blood relations have various implications in the sight of Islamic Law, especially because these relationships demand certain rights in the future pertaining to marriage, inheritance, etc. Thus Islamic Law has declared and commanded the believers to honor the absolute sanctity of blood relationships.

There is absolutely no harm if you wish to adopt your brother-in-law’s child, but it would not be permissible in the sight of Shariah to include or allude the name of the adopted father as the child’s real father in any way or format.

Besides, if you list your name as the child’s father in the passport, even only to fulfill the legal requirement, it would be a lie; and this deen of Truth called Islam never ever endorses or encourages the concept of falsehood.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.712 Narrated by Wathila bin Al Asqa

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Verily, one of the worst lies is to claim falsely to be the son of someone other than one's real father, or to claim to have had a dream one has not had, or to attribute to me what I have not said."

The best and purest way in the sight of Shariah and Allah Subhanah would be to always state the Truth and inform the authorities that you wish to adopt the child, and thus fulfill the subsequent legal requirements of adoption as stated by law.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan