Omar Suleiman - Fiqh of Adoption and Fostering

About this lecture

In this lecture, Sheikh Omar Suleiman delivers a detailed jurisprudential discussion on the fiqh of kafala (Islamic fostering and adoption), addressing common misconceptions about the prohibition of tabanni and clarifying what Islam actually permits. He covers key legal issues including naming and surnames, preservation of lineage (hifdh al-nasl), inheritance rights for adopted children, and the complex question of establishing mahram status through breastfeeding — including a thorough examination of the opinions of Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, and the majority of scholars. The lecture emphasizes that Islam provides flexible, evidence-based solutions that allow families to give orphaned and abandoned children a loving, dignified upbringing without violating any principle of the Shari'ah.