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Resolutions of Iftaa' Board


Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No. (127): "Ruling on Attributing the Adopted Orphan to the Surname/family Name of her/his Sponsor"

Date Added : 20-10-2015

Resolution No. (127) /4/2009: "Ruling on Attributing the Adopted Orphan to the Surname/family Name of her/his Sponsor"

On 27/4/1430AH, corresponding to 23/4/2009AD

 

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Wolrds.

The Iftaa Board in its session—held on 27/4/1430H (23/4/2009)—reviewed the appeal written by Mr. Amjad Muhammad Adel Abdel-Khaleq al-Kharouf in which he asked to add his family name to the name of the child he had adopted whose name was (Izzel-Deen Amjad Omar Khaled), and to add (Al-Kharouf) after the word (Khaled) in the child’s name.

After studying the request and discussing it, the Board decided the following:

One aim of the Sharia is the protection of family lineage which is a necessity that Islam called to protect because it is a grace of Allah on his worshippers. He Says (What means): “And it is He Who has created man from water, and has appointed for him kindred by blood and kindred by marriage. And your Lord is ever All-Powerful (to do what He wills).” [Al-Furqan 25].

For the sake of keeping ancestry, Islam regulates marriage and prohibits all that may lead to genealogy mix, adultery and the like. Some religious rules such as inheritance and certain forbidden marriage relations are based on genealogy issues.

Because of this, Islam prohibited adoption which means considering someone who is not genealogically related to the person as those who are. He Says (what means): “Allah has not made for any man two hearts inside his body. Neither has He made your wives whom you declare (to be like your mothers) your mothers, nor has He made your adopted sons your real sons. This is but a saying of your mouths. But Allah Says the truth and He guides to the right way. [4] Call them [adopted sons] by the names of their real fathers. That will be more just in the sight of Allah. And if you know not their fathers, then (they are) your brothers in faith, and your clients [freed slaves]. And there is no sin for you in the mistakes that you make unintentionally, but what your hearts deliberately intend (that will be a sin for you). Allah is ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." [Al-Ahzab 33].

Building on the previous, the questioner cannot give his family name (lineage) to the adopted child. An adopted child will not be a legal son and must not claim his sponsor’s name.

Add to this that there is a difference between what is forbidden as a consequence of breast-feeding and verification of lineage. Breast feeding leads to forbid certain marriages but it does not give the right to claim the lineage. Since the prophet (PBUH) said when the exchange of curse verse was revealed: “If a woman claimed her child to belong to a family to which this child has no blood relation, this woman has nothing to do with God, and God will not admit her into His paradise. And any man who rejects his own child while looking at her/him, God will reject him and will expose him in front of all creatures.” [Related by Abu Dawood and Al-Bayhaqi].

So, the prophet considered claiming a lineage of certain people as a crime that is punishable on the Day of Judgment.

The Prophet (PBUH) also said: “The one who claims descent from someoneother than his (real) father, and the slave who attaches himself to someone other than his (real) master, are cursed by Allah, His Angels and all the people. Allah will accept neither repentance nor ransom from such a person on the Day of Resurrection.”  [Agreed upon].

We advice our brother the questioner to support this orphan and be a good sponsor for him and he will be rewarded by God for the prophet PBUH said: “I and the one who raises an orphan, will be will be like these in the Garden (Paradise)”, and he pointed with his index and middle fingers slightly parted.” [Related by Al-Bukhari]. And Allah Knows Best.

 

Board of Iftaa’

                                                        Head of the Board of Iftaa’:

The General Mufti/his excellence Dr. Nouh Ali Salman Al-Qudhah

The Vice Head: Dr. Ahmad Hlail      

Shaikh Dr. Abdel Kareem al-Khasawneh/ member

 Sheikh Said al-Hajjawi/ member     

       Dr. Muhammad Khair al-Eisa/ member

 Judge Sari Atiyah/ member          

  Dr. Abdel Rahman Ibdah/ member

                  Dr. Muhammad Uqlah al-Ibraheem/ member

         Dr. Abdel Naser Abu al-Basal/ member

                       Executive Secretary of Iftaa’ Board Dr. Muhammad al Khalayleh

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on the ablution of one from whom blood exits from his nose or a wound?

Blood flowing from a wound or a nosebleed does not invalidate ablution. However, performing ablution is recommended to avoid scholarly disagreement with those who make ablution obligatory after blood flows. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Is it permissible for a pious Muslim woman to stay with her husband who had quit praying out of laziness?

Quitting prayer is one of the major grave sins that come after disbelieving in Allah, but the wife of such a person isn`t considered divorced, rather, she should exert all her efforts in order to bring him back to the way of Islam. However, if his sin is likely to lure her from the way of Islam, then she had better separate from him by lawful means such as Mokhal`aa (When a wife pays a compensation for her husband in return for divorcing her). Moreover, if she exercises patience, and remains steadfast on her faith, then there is no harm in doing that.

What is the wisdom behind the legislation of fasting?

Fasting is a divine school from which the believer learns much and trains in virtues that may be needed in life. Among these virtues is patience, as it is the month of patience. Fasting also teaches honesty and consciousness of Allah in both private and public, for there is no observer over the fasting person in abstaining from lawful pleasures except Allah alone.
Fasting strengthens willpower, sharpens determination, and nurtures mercy and compassion among the servants of Allah. It is a struggle against the self, a restraint of desires, a purification of the soul, and a cultivation of goodness.
The Prophetﷺ said: "Allah, the Almighty, said: ‘Every deed of the son of Adam is for him, except for fasting; it is for Me, and I shall reward for it. Fasting is a shield. So when one of you is fasting on a day, let him not engage in obscene speech or raise his voice in anger. If someone insults him or fights him, let him say: I am a fasting person. By Him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, the breath of the fasting person is more pleasant to Allah than the fragrance of musk.’" [Bukhari and Muslim]
 

Is it permissible to offer an Udhiyah on behalf of the deceased?

In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Offering an Udhiyah (sacrificial animal) on behalf of a deceased person is permissible. This is the official position of the Hanbali school (as stated in Kashshaf al-Qina’ by al-Bahuti,Vol.6/P.428) and was also upheld by the prominent Shafi'i scholar Al-’Abbadi (mentioned in Bidayat al-Muhtaj by Ibn Qadi Shuhbah,Vol. 4/P.358). It has likewise been narrated as a valid view among some Maliki and Hanafi scholars.
 
In fact, Imam Abu Dawud dedicated an entire chapter in his Sunan collection entitled, "Chapter on Sacrificing on Behalf of the Deceased." In it, he recorded a narration from Hanash, who said: "I saw 'Ali sacrificing two rams, so I asked him, 'What is this?' He replied, 'The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded me to offer a sacrifice on his behalf, so I am sacrificing on his behalf.'"
 
Imam Abu Dawud also narrated from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Allah, this is from You, for You, and on behalf of Muhammad and his Ummah (community). In the Name of Allah, and Allah is the Greatest," and he then slaughtered the animal.
 
The textual evidence here lies in the fact that our Master, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), offered a sacrifice on behalf of his entire community—and it is well-established that his community includes those who have already passed away.
 
Furthermore, there is an abundance of sacred texts demonstrating that the rewards of righteous deeds reach the deceased. For instance, it is permissible to fast on behalf of a deceased person who passed away with missed obligatory fasts, and it is equally permissible to perform Hajj on their behalf, both of which are firmly established in authentic Hadiths. Therefore, if the reward of fasting (which is a purely physical act of worship) and Hajj (which is a joint physical and financial act of worship) can reach the deceased, then the reward of an Udhiyah reaches them with greater reason (by way of A Fortiori argument). This is because it is a purely financial act of worship, falling under the general category of charity (Sadaqah).
 
Additionally, scholars have reached a consensus (Ijma') that the rewards of charity reach the deceased, and since the Udhiyah is inherently an act of charity, it falls under the same ruling. Consequently, based on all the aforementioned evidence, we hold the view that offering a sacrifice on behalf of the deceased is entirely permissible. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

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