What is the ruling on a wife refusing to breastfeed her fostered child? Is concealing a birth from the supervising authority considered a mistake? How valid is it to link procreation with fostering an orphan? Does fostering an orphan necessitate raising them at home? And is the wife considered to be hindering good after receiving a blessing?

Custody (hadhanah) in Islamic Sharia is a right of the custodian and not obligatory, except in cases of necessity. The jurists deduced this from the Almighty’s saying: (Then if they suckle for you, give them their due payment, and consult together amicably; and if you find yourselves in disagreement, then another woman will suckle for him). Therefore, sponsoring an orphan girl is not obligatory, and a wife cannot be forced into it, just as it is not permissible to turn recommended acts into obligations. Nevertheless, it is a form of gratitude for blessings to complete what one has resolved to do in sponsoring an orphan girl. Care should be taken to look after her, seeking Allah’s pleasure, and not to violate the instructions of the institution responsible for children by concealing the birth of the son.