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One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother

Greeting

Please note that the prophet adopted Zaid before the Aya come stopping Adoption, so after this Aya came, the prophet even married Zaid wife (His adopted son wife after divorcing her from Zaid) to tell every one hey look I even married his wife because he is not my son any more. Otherwise why he married her?

And also I want to ask you a question, if you adopted a kid which you do not know his family or history, which biological father name you will give to him? And if you are not going to raise him as your own son, how he will love you as a father, and not giving him your name, how you will keep him in your life and how you will look at his wife in future when he get married, or he should remain kid?

Regards

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Answer:

Which name to give adopted child

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.

Your Question: Please note that the prophet adopted Zaid before the Aya come stopping Adoption, so after this Aya came, the prophet even married Zaid wife (His adopted son wife after divorcing her from Zaid) to tell every one hey look I even married his wife because he is not my son any more. Otherwise why he married her?

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 6.305 Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar

We used not to call Zaid bin Haritha the freed slave of Allah's Messenger (saws) except Zaid bin Muhammad (saws), till the Qu'anic Verse was revealed: "Call them (your adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers. That is more than just in the Sight of Allah." (33.5)

The Messenger of Allah (saws) himself adopted Hadrat Zaid (r.a.) as his son, and for a long period of time Hadrat Zaid (r.a.) was known and called as Zaid bin Mohamed (saws)….until Allah Subhanah revealed the Command in Surah Ahzaab guiding the believers to call their adopted sons by the name of their own biological fathers, after which Hadrat Zaid (r.a.) was called and recognized by his biological father’s name, ie. son of Haritha.

Respected brother, we absolutely assure you that the above quoted Aayah 5 of Surah Ahzaab did not come to stop or prohibit adoption, but rather to regulate the concept of adoption in Islam! In the period prior to the Revelation of this Aayah, the adopted sons were assigned the name of their adopted father rather than their own biological father. Allah Subhanah Guided and Commanded the believers to call the adopted children by the name of their own biological fathers, as that was more just and proper in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 37:

37   Behold! Thou (O Prophet (saws)) didst say to the one (Hadrat Zaid bin Haritha (r.a.), the adopted son of the Prophet (saws)) who had received the grace of Allah and thy favor: "Retain thou (in wedlock) thy wife and fear Allah." But thou didst hide in thy heart that which Allah was about to make manifest: thou didst fear the people but it is more fitting that thou shouldst fear Allah. Then when Zaid had dissolved (his marriage) with her with the necessary (formality) We joined her in marriage to thee: in order that (in future) there may be no difficulty to the believers in (the matter of) marriage with the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have dissolved with the necessary (formality) (their marriage) with them: and Allah's Command must be fulfilled.

Secondly, in the days of ignorance before the advent of Islam, it was considered an absolute enormity for the father of an adopted son to marry the divorced or widowed wife of his adopted son…..to break this self-imposed prohibition once and for all, Allah Subhanah Commanded the Prophet (saws) to marry the divorced wife of his adopted son in order that in the future there may be no difficulty to the believers in the matter of marrying the former wives of their adopted sons.

Your Question: And also I want to ask you a question, if you adopted a kid which you do not know his family or history, which biological father name you will give to him?

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.

Your Questions: and if you are not going to raise him as your own son, how he will love you as a father, and not giving him your name, how you will keep him in your life….

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 4:

4 …… nor has He (Allah) 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.

Although one is at absolute liberty to treat and love and cherish and honor their adopted sons just as they would unto their own sons, Allah Subhanah has made it absolutely clear that the adopted sons are not one’s real and legal sons…..they will be known by the name of their own biological father, they will inherit from their own biological father and relatives, their biological father and relatives will inherit from them, etc.

The adopted sons would not be called or recognized by the name of their adopted father, nor would they inherit from their adopted father, nor would their adopted father inherit from them, and unless a ‘suckle’ or foster relation is established, the adopted sons will be considered non-mehram to the females of their adopted father’s household.

We reiterate again brother, Islam does not prohibit adoption, but rather regulates the correct and purest method and manner regarding adoptions.

Your Question: …..and how you will look at his wife in future when he get married, or he should remain kid?

Unlike the wife of one’s own real son who would be considered a ‘mehram’ relative of her father-in-law as soon as the ‘nikaah’ is established, the wife of the adopted son would not form a mehram relationship with the adopted father of her husband….and thus all the restriction which apply to non-mehram males would be applicable between the wife of the adopted son and the adopted father.

Respected brother, it is not we who enacted or invented these laws of adoption from ourselves….these Laws of adoption in Shariah were Enacted and Revealed by the All-Knowing, All-Wise Lord Most Majestic Most Supreme…..and it simply does not befit a believer who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day to challenge, or belittle, or ridicule, or mock the Laws of Shariah revealed by the Lord Most Majestic Who Created! One does so at the cost of their own faith!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 36:

It does not behove a believing man and a believing woman that when Allah and His Messenger have given their decision in a matter, they should exercise an option in that matter of theirs. For whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, has indeed strayed into manifest error.

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

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