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Adopt boy w/o genealogy?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Darulifta-Deoband.com
I have two daughters. Elder one is 7 years old. After first child, due to my ill health doctors told I cannot get conceived. So we planned to adopt a baby boy. So we were searching for an orphan. But in the meantime, fortunately with Allah’s grace, a miracle happened in my life. I gave birth to a girl baby one month ago. But my husband is willing to adopt a baby boy still. Actually we are planning to adopt a child from orphanage whose genealogy is not known to us. We do know that legal adoption is not permitted in Islam. Can we adopt a boy baby and upbring him along with us? If I breastfeed that adopted boy baby, will he become mahram to me and my daughters? What will be the relationship between us and that child? Will he be considered as our heir in future or will be just a sponsored child? If he is considered as sponsor child alone then is it permissible for us to permit him to live with us as one of our family member? Is this act permissible as per Shariah? Shall we proceed to adopt?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

(Fatwa: 969/969/M=09/1436)

It is not unlawful to adopt a child. Upbringing and taking care of an orphan child carries great virtues. But merely by adopting a child the ruling of real child shall not be applicable on him rather it shall be necessary to observe Shariah purdah from him after he is mature. He shall get no share in the property. Yes, if a child is adopted while he is infant and he is breastfeed during the time of suckling then hurmat-e-raza’at (fostering relation) shall be established and he shall be a mahram for you and of your daughters and shall be allowable to live at home like a family member i.e. purdah shall not be necessary. However, he shall not be your heir in any case.

Allah knows Best!

Darul Ifta,
Darul Uloom Deoband

This answer was collected from the official ifta website of Darul Uloom Deoband in India.

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