Adoption

[mirrorinthefog]

Hi everyone

I was reading an article in a foreign newspaper a while back, and it featured an interview with someone it defined as an "Islamic novelist" (?) who recently published a fictional story about a child who was adopted by a family and the troubles that resulted.

The writer claimed, citing I believe various verses from the sura Azhap, that adoption was un-Islamic, and that one should not treat another's offspring as his or her own. He claimed that a stepfather who adopted a girl might view her in the wrong light and that homes might be wrecked because of it, and seemed to believe that someone who adopted would try to conceal the child's parentage...He said it would be "painful" when the child found out that he or she was not biologically related to the adopting couple.

I know there are many verses in the Qur'an that deal with orphans, but I found it strange that someone would interpret this topic that way. At least, I never had. There's nothing that I could see that explicitly prohibited adopting in Islam, or even implied the things he touched on. Am I misunderstanding something?

Any thoughts on this subject?

 

[Friend]

Hi everyone

I was reading an article in a foreign newspaper a while back, and it featured an interview with someone it defined as an "Islamic novelist" (?) who recently published a fictional story about a child who was adopted by a family and the troubles that resulted.

The writer claimed, citing I believe various verses from the sura Azhap, that adoption was un-Islamic, and that one should not treat another's offspring as his or her own. He claimed that a stepfather who adopted a girl might view her in the wrong light and that homes might be wrecked because of it, and seemed to believe that someone who adopted would try to conceal the child's parentage...He said it would be "painful" when the child found out that he or she was not biologically related to the adopting couple.

I know there are many verses in the Qur'an that deal with orphans, but I found it strange that someone would interpret this topic that way. At least, I never had. There's nothing that I could see that explicitly prohibited adopting in Islam, or even implied the things he touched on. Am I misunderstanding something?

Any thoughts on this subject?

Alsalamu Alyckum
Mirrorinthefog,Muslims believe that Allah is The One Who Created human beings and bestowed innumerable gifts on them. Thus Allah is the Wise, All-Knowing and Merciful God. Since Allah is merciful to His servants, He makes thing halal (permitted) and haram (forbidden) for a reason, with the peoples' well being in mind. Thus, the Muslim is not required to know exactly what is harmful in what Allah has prohibited; it may be hidden or not clear to him but could be apparent or clear to someone else, or its harm may not have been discovered during his lifetime but may be understood at a later time period or era. A great example of this is the prohibition of the eating of pork in Islam. Scientific research, after centuries of this prohibition, has now shown the presence of parasites and deadly bacteria in its flesh.
True believers have to accept Allah's Wisdom and Knowledge in the forbidding of any act since He sees and knows things on a universal and timeless basis for all mankind unlike the ability of human beings to focus mainly on individual and present needs. Thus the acceptance of the prohibition of legal adoption should also be regarded as the acceptance of the timeless power and knowledge of Allah.

I think the modern science in Genetics field prove something that may related to this issue that the marriage of kin may cause healthy problem or diseases for the embryos, If some one adopted child and give him or her his name this may lead to a future problem. May be he meet one of his relative people and they decided to engage with each other without knowing the degree of original relationship as kin .and imagine the worst possibility if they are sister and brother ,aunt and her brother or sister sun ……………..​

Also ,our prophet Mohammed (peace upon him ) prohibit the kin marriage and call to choose from foreign people , because the marriage among kin is common in Arabic culture .and now the science prove the reason behind that .​

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Before the advent of Islam, that is, before he received the call to prophet hood, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had him- self adopted Zaid bin Harithah, who had been captured as a child during one of the raids on his tribe which were common occurrences during the period of jahiliyyah. Hakim bin Hizam had bought him for his aunt Khadijah, and after her marriage to the Prophet (pbuh), Khadijah presented Zaid to him. When Zaid's father and uncle learned his place of residence, they came to the Prophet (pbuh) to demand Zaid's return. The Prophet (pbuh) gave Zaid a choice, and he chose to stay with the Prophet (pbuh) in preference to his father and uncle. The Prophet (pbuh) then set him free and adopted him as his son in the presence of others. He was thereafter called Zaid ibn Muhammad (son of Muhammad) and became the first of the freed slaves to accept Islam. Allah wished that this relationship that is, adoption, be discontinued.​

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Surah Al Ahzab : "And Allah did not make your adopted children your sons. That is only your words coming out from your tongues. And Allah says the truth and He guides you to the right path. Call them with reference to their (real) fathers. It is more just in the sight of Allah." (Surah 33:V4)

"Adoption" is also used in another sense. This use of adoption is not prohibited by Islam - that is, when a man brings home an orphan (yateem) and wants to raise, to educate, and to treat as his own child. In this case, he protects, feeds, clothes, teaches, and loves the child as his own without attributing the child to him- self. This is a meritorious and noteworthy act in Islam, and the man who does it will be rewarded by being admitted to Paradise or Heaven. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said once, ​

"I and the one who raises an orphan, will be like these two in the Garden", and he pointed to his middle and index fingers with a slight gap between the two

There are also numerous Qur'anic revelations that support the taking care of orphans and enough cannot be said about how much Allah likes this noble and charitable

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002.220 : (Their bearings) on this life and the Hereafter. They ask thee concerning orphans. Say: "The best thing to do is what is for their good; if ye mix their affairs with yours, they are your brethren; but Allah knows the man who means mischief from the man who means good. And if Allah had wished, He could have put you into difficulties: He is indeed Exalted in Power, Wise."​

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I hope this can explain Islam point of view about Adoption issue.​

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Thanks to all​

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[mirrorinthefog]

Hello Friend,

Thank you for your answer. I understand and respect your viewpoint on the matter.

However, both in the article and in your post the implication seems to be that one would conceal the parentage of the child, when normally in adoption that is not the case-it is important that a child know his background if nothing else for medical reasons, such as tracing an illness, determining risks for certain diseases etc. In a lot of western countries, cross-cultural adoption has gained popularity, and families make an effort to learn about their child's country and expose him/her to the culture as much as possible.

Still, I know in a lot of places this issue seems to be a problem, but I personally don't see why someone would wish to hide their child's origins from him/her...as you pointed out it's dangerous if nothing else, and it only proves that the child cannot trust his own family-adopted or otherwise. It's lying, pure and simple-and a lot of times it comes out under much uglier circumstances.

Anyway, thanks for the answer again Peace.