Adoption

Adoption and Islam

The religion of Islam includes a rich tradition of fostering and adoption. The Prophet Muhammad himself was raised by his grandfather and his paternal uncle after he was orphaned as a young child. Later, he became an adoptive father himself.

The theme of adoption is often mentioned in the Quran and in the Prophetic Sayings (Islam’s sacred texts). The stories of Moses and of Mary, mother of Jesus are two examples. Mary’s mother pledged to give her child into the service of God, and placed her in the care of her uncle Zechariah, who was the Priest of the temple. Moses’ birth mother placed him in a basket in the river Nile to escape the punishment of the Pharaoh; he was rescued by the Pharoah’s wife, and was raised by her in the royal palace.

There are also numerous verses in the Quran that describe the spiritual benefits of caring for the orphan child, as well as prophetic sayings which exalt those who care for orphans. In one story, the Prophet says that whoever takes care of an orphan will be side by side with him in Paradise. These religious instructions have resulted in a long history of Muslims striving to care for children in need through fostering, adoption, or financial support.

In order to help remove the taboo of adoption and infertility that persists in the greater Muslim community, we decided to hold an introduction party at our local mosque after each adoption. We invited our Imam to speak to the guests about adoption in Islam. He was very helpful in dispelling some of the myths and misconceptions.