A man and a woman adopted a child of unknown identity; is he considered a mahram (a relative one may not marry) for the woman?
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Fatwa number ( 10713 )
Q: I ask Your Eminence about the ruling onan infant boy whom a man and his wifetook from the state, and he was not more than two months old, from the state nurseries, on the condition that they raise him and he would be their son, as they had no children and were of advanced age. After a while, the husband passed away, and the wife remained with the child. She considers him her son, loves him, and cherishes him as a mother cherishes her son, according to her account. She has asked me to ask about his ruling, and whether he is a mahram (a relative one may not marry) for her, or whether she must observe hijab (the covering prescribed for women) from him when he grows up, as she has been told that she must cover herself from him and that he is not a mahram for her. She is cut off from others, and she is deeply attached to him, and he, in turn,
By the name of mother, just as a child calls his mother. She says she offered her breast to him when he was small, but she did not nurse him. He is now about four or five years old. She is currently confused about his status, given her deep attachment to him and his attachment to her, as if he were her son entirely. Therefore, I hope Your Eminence will give us a sufficient answer regarding this, and whether he is a mahram (a relative one may not marry) for her? Knowing that he did not inherit from her deceased husband according to the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) in this regard, she asks: Will he be a mahram (a relative one may not marry) for her, like her son, so that she does not observe hijab (the covering prescribed for women) from him, or will he be a stranger to her?
A: The child whom the man and his wife took from the nursery is a stranger to them, and there is no bond connecting them, neither by milk nor by blood. Also, she did not nurse him when she breastfed him. Accordingly, it is obligatory for the woman mentioned to observe hijab (the covering prescribed for women) from him when he grows up. She will be rewarded for raising him, taking care of him, and providing for him, and we are grateful for that. We ask Allah to multiply her reward. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I ask Your Eminence about the ruling onan infant boy whom a man and his wifetook from the state, and he was not more than two months old, from the state nurseries, on the condition that they raise him and he would be their son, as they had no children and were of advanced age. After a while, the husband passed away, and the wife remained with the child. She considers him her son, loves him, and cherishes him as a mother cherishes her son, according to her account. She has asked me to ask about his ruling, and whether he is a mahram (a relative one may not marry) for her, or whether she must observe hijab (the covering prescribed for women) from him when he grows up, as she has been told that she must cover herself from him and that he is not a mahram for her. She is cut off from others, and she is deeply attached to him, and he, in turn,
By the name of mother, just as a child calls his mother. She says she offered her breast to him when he was small, but she did not nurse him. He is now about four or five years old. She is currently confused about his status, given her deep attachment to him and his attachment to her, as if he were her son entirely. Therefore, I hope Your Eminence will give us a sufficient answer regarding this, and whether he is a mahram (a relative one may not marry) for her? Knowing that he did not inherit from her deceased husband according to the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) in this regard, she asks: Will he be a mahram (a relative one may not marry) for her, like her son, so that she does not observe hijab (the covering prescribed for women) from him, or will he be a stranger to her?
A: The child whom the man and his wife took from the nursery is a stranger to them, and there is no bond connecting them, neither by milk nor by blood. Also, she did not nurse him when she breastfed him. Accordingly, it is obligatory for the woman mentioned to observe hijab (the covering prescribed for women) from him when he grows up. She will be rewarded for raising him, taking care of him, and providing for him, and we are grateful for that. We ask Allah to multiply her reward. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.