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:

Assalamu alaikum, brother Burhan first of all i would wish you great success in the work you are engaged in spreading the truth of Islam and answering the various questions.....May Allah help you the maximum..Ameen. My question is What if we donot know the name of the Adopted child`s father name..i mean no information is available....? do we have to give our name or what is to be done ? 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Name of adopted father

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

May Allah Subhanah reward you with the best of this world and the Hereafter for your kind comments of encouragement for our humble efforts in the propagation of the Truth. If our humble and modest efforts have helped even one brother or sister get closer to Allah and His Deen of Truth, then we would consider ourselves indeed fortunate to have been given this opportunity by the Lord Most Merciful to serve in His Cause. We hope, beg, and pray the Merciful Lord accepts our humble and weak efforts, forgives us our shortcomings, and saves you, us, and all the believers from the torment of the Hell Fire. Ameen.

Your Question: What if we donot know the name of the Adopted child`s father name..i mean no information is available....? do we have to give our name or what is to be done ? 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verses 4-5:

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 (those whom you adopt) 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.

If one is fortunate and blessed by the Lord to adopt an orphan whose biological father’s name is unknown, what they should never ever do is assign or attach the name of their adopted father to the name of the child….They are at liberty to attach any other name except the name of their adopted father, or alternatively simply assign the name of the unknown father of the child as ‘Abdullah’ (Slave of Allah), or ‘Abdur-Rahmaan’ (Slave of the Most Merciful), etc….that would be more just and right in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

Thus for example if the first name assigned to the adopted child is say Salmaan and the name of the father of the child is unknown, the child would be called Salmaan ibn Abdullah or Salmaan the son of a slave of Allah.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan