Islam makes it impermissible to adopt a child and name him after his adoptive parents, while denying his real parents. The Qur’an refers to this saying: “Proclaim their real parentage. That will be more equitable in the sight of Allah. And if ye know not their fathers, then (they are) your brethren in the faith, and your clients.” (Al-Ahzaab: 4)
Sheikh `Abdel-Khaliq Hasan Ash-Shareef, a prominent Muslim scholar states that: “We can say that you are allowed to raise a child and take care of him or her while keeping in mind the following points:
1- You are not allowed to adopt a child by giving him your family name and denying his biological parents’. The aforementioned verse is a clear example in this respect.
2-When raising kids, we must differentiate between male and female, in the sense that each is treated differently. You are allowed to raise a boy till he reaches puberty and becomes independent. However, regardless of child-parent affection between you and him, and regardless the motherly tender care you have for him, you are to bear in mind that Islamically the child is non-mahram to you in the sense that the rules of Khalwah (privacy) must be given due respect. All this is to block means of evil and corruption that pervade the non-Muslim societies.
Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, adds: “There are two main kinds of adoption. The first one denotes that a person adopts a child whose parents are well known but he intends to name the child after him. such kind of adoption is categorically forbidden in Islam. The story of Zayd Ibn Harithah, may Allah be pleased with him, is a clear example in this respect. Allah Almighty says: “Proclaim their real parentage. That will be more equitable in the sight of Allah. And if ye know not their fathers, then (they are) your brethren in the faith, and your clients. And there is no sin for you in the mistakes that ye make unintentionally, but what your hearts purpose (that will be a sin for you). Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (Al-Ahzaab: 4)
The second kind of adoption, which is strongly recommended in Islam, includes that a person raises a boy or a girl and takes care of him or her as a real father or mother would do to their child, while keeping in mind that the child should be named after his/her biological parents. Islam urges people to follow such a trend in order to spare the homeless or orphan children the problems of vagrancy and lack of nurture. It is a kind of cooperation in that which is good and righteous.”