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Is a Muslim son who was adopted by a non-Muslim family obligated to care for them and treat them kindly, and what about his biological parents if he later learns of their existence?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

In Arabic, "adoption" (تبني) has two meanings: The first is raising a child and caring for them without changing their lineage. This is permissible and commendable. The second meaning is raising a child and attributing their lineage to the adoptive family. This is forbidden in Islamic law due to the Almighty's saying: "Call them by [the names of] their fathers; it is more just in the sight of Allah." Lineage entails many legal rulings. Despite the prohibition of changing lineage, showing kindness to those who raise and care for a child is obligatory, and reciprocating good with good is part of Islam's character and guidance. As for searching for the biological parents, it is an innate matter and a religious obligation due to the rulings and psychological effects that result from it.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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