Is Adopting Haram in Islam? Yes and No!

Families who are unable to give birth due to health issues usually look for the next best alternative to getting a child to take care of, which is adoption. However, the matter of adoption is a bit tricky in Islam, and there are some conditions to be met before adopting a child.

Some people believe that adoption is halal in Islam because Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w) adopted a boy (Zayd Bin Haritha). But is that true?

Not exactly! Let’s see the real truth behind adoption in Islam and whether the Prophet really adopted a boy.

Is Adopting Haram in Islam?

In Islam, adoption is haram in its Western version that’s known to most people—where the adopted child takes on the family name and has the same legal rights as a biological child.

This prohibition stems from several key principles in Islamic law. Firstly, maintaining clear lineage is crucial in Islam. The Quran emphasizes the importance of preserving a child’s biological lineage and making sure that their ancestry and familial connections are maintained. This is based on verses such as Surah Al-Ahzab (33:4-5), which stresses that adopted children should be called by their biological fathers’ names.

However, this does not mean that Islam is against the care and upbringing of orphaned or needy children. 

The religion places a strong emphasis on the welfare of orphans, urging the Muslim community to take care of them. Caring for an orphan is considered a noble and highly rewarded act. 

The Prophet Muhammad himself was an orphan and highlighted the significance of supporting orphans numerous times, stating that those who care for orphans will be close to him in paradise.

So, while the concept of adoption as seen in the West may not align with Islamic principles, there are Islamic alternatives such as “kafalah.” 

Kafalah involves taking a child into your care and providing for their upbringing and welfare, but without severing their biological family ties or changing their surname. 

The child remains a legal part of their biological family and retains their inheritance rights from their biological parents.

Did Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) Adopt a Boy?

When you tell someone that adoption isn’t allowed in Islam, the first thing that’ll likely come to their mind is that Prophet Muhammed adopted a boy. So, is that true?

Well, it’s true and untrue. The story has more details than most people know.

When Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) married Khadijah, she gifted him a slave named Zayd bin Hâritha. Over time, the Prophet’s care and affection for Zayd transformed their relationship into a father-and-son bond. 

Zayd was among the first people in Mecca to accept Islam, and his loyalty to the Prophet was profound.

Zayd’s story took a significant turn when his father and uncles discovered his location and traveled to Mecca to retrieve him. They told the Prophet that Zayd had been captured by thieves and sold into slavery.

Without thinking twice, the Prophet freed Zayd, but the boy chose to remain with Muhammad, demonstrating his deep attachment and loyalty. 

After that incident, Zayd was known among the people of Mecca as Zayd bin Muhammad (Zayd, son of Muhammad).

However, this changed when Allah revealed a verse in the Quran addressing the issue of adoption. Surah Al-Ahzab (33:5) was revealed, instructing that adopted children should keep the names of their biological fathers. 

Following this, Zayd’s name was reverted to Zayd bin Haritha to maintain true lineage.

This incident highlights that while the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) had a strong, paternal-like relationship with Zayd, he didn’t adopt him in the legal sense as understood in the Western context. Instead, their relationship was all about care and guardianship without severing ties with Zayd’s lineage.

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The Conditions of Adopting in Islam

Adopting in Islam is mostly called Kafalah, and it’s allowed under some conditions that the adoptive parents have to meet. Here’s an overview of these conditions:

The Children Only Carry Their Real Father’s Name

In Islam, adopting children in the Western sense—where they take the adoptive family’s name and legally become part of that family—is considered haram because it severs the child’s ties with their biological parents. 

Islamic law states that adopted children must keep their birth parents’ names and maintain their lineage. This is grounded in the Quran, specifically in Surah Al-Ahzab (33:5), which emphasizes the importance of preserving a child’s biological identity.

The Adopted Child Isn’t Considered a Mahram Unless Breast-Fed by the Adoptive Mother

The adopted child’s status as a mahram—someone whom it is permanently unlawful to marry due to familial relationships—is a key consideration in Islamic adoption. 

An adopted child doesn’t automatically become a mahram to the adoptive family. This means that if he’s a boy, the family’s girls should wear the hijab in front of him. On top of that, the adopted child is allowed to marry the family’s girls since he’s technically not a mahram.

The only case where the adopted child is considered a mahram is if the mother had breastfed him before turning two years old. In this case, the hijab isn’t necessary between him and the family’s girls, and he can’t marry his adoptive sisters.

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The Adopted Child Doesn’t Inherit From His Adoptive Parents

Adopted children in Islam don’t inherit from their adoptive parents. Instead, they are entitled to inherit from their biological parents. 

However, adoptive parents can choose to bequeath up to one-third of their estate to the adopted child through a will. That way, the child is cared for while respecting the inheritance rights of the family’s biological kids as dictated by Islamic law.

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Final Thoughts

In summary, while Islam prohibits Western-style adoption that cuts ties with a child’s birth parents, it provides a halal alternative that maintains the child’s welfare without compromising Islamic principles. 

The adopted child keeps their original family name and inheritance rights, while still being cared for in a financial and compassionate sense.