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Answer

I hope that this response reaches you in the best of health and Imaan. Ameen inshaAllah. It is permissible to adopt a child. The following conditions apply: 1. The child should not take up the name of the parents who have adopted him. His lineage should be separate and not joined with the parents. He should keep the name of his biological father if the biological father is known. Rasulullah (Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam) had adopted Zaid bin Harithah as a son before prophethood. People called him Zaid, the son of Muhammad (Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam). Allah Ta’ala revealed the following ayahs in Surah Al-Ahzab. 'Allah has not made for any man two hearts in his (chest) cavity, nor did he make your wives whom you subjected to zihar, your mothers, nor did he make your adopted sons you (real) sons. That is (merely) a word uttered by your mouths. And Allah says the truth and He shows the (right) way. Call them by (the name of) their (real) fathers; It is more equitable in the sight of Allah. And if you do not know their fathers, then they are your brothers in faith and your friends. And there is no sin on you in the mistake you make, but in that which you do with intention of your heart; and Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.' [33:4-5] In the verses Muslims are told not to call the adopted child by the person who adopted him. Instead he should be call with his real father’s name if it is known. If not, then he is your brother in deen, but he is not your son. (Ibn Kathir) 2. Strict observation of Hijaab should be observed when the child reaches the age of puberty. The Hijaab is between the mother and the child if it is a boy and between the father and child if it is a girl. The method to avoid this is to adopt the child in infancy and the mother breastfeeds the child. In doing so, they will become the foster parents and Hijaab will not be necessary. Nevertheless, breast-feeding will still not make him a real son and his lineage will still be made separate. 3. The child should not inherit from the parents (who adopted him or her). The parents are allowed to bequest one-third of their wealth to adopted child in their will if they wish to do so. The child may be adopted from any ethnicity group. When the child is old enough to understand, he should be informed with wisdom about the reality of the matter.

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