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Sahih al-Bukhari 4000 (Book 64, Hadith 51) #3826
The Custom of Adoption in Pre-Islamic Arabia

SUMMARY: Adoption of children was a common practice in pre-Islamic Arabia, but Allah revealed a verse that changed this custom and instructed people to call adopted sons by the names of their fathers.

Narrated 'Aisha: (the wife of the Prophet) Abu Hudhaifa, one of those who fought the battle of Badr, with Allah's Apostle adopted Salim as his son and married his niece Hind bint Al-Wahd bin 'Utba to him' and Salim was a freed slave of an Ansari woman. Allah's Messenger also adopted Zaid as his son. In the pre-Islamic period of ignorance the custom was that, if one adopted a son, the people would call him by the name of the adopted-father whom he would inherit as well, till Allah revealed: "Call them (adopted sons) By (the names of) their fathers". (33:5)
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ أَنَّ أَبَا حُذَيْفَةَ وَكَانَ مِمَّنْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ تَبَنَّى سَالِمًا، وَأَنْكَحَهُ بِنْتَ أَخِيهِ هِنْدَ بِنْتَ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ ـ وَهْوَ مَوْلًى لاِمْرَأَةٍ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ ـ كَمَا تَبَنَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ زَيْدًا، وَكَانَ مَنْ تَبَنَّى رَجُلاً فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ دَعَاهُ النَّاسُ إِلَيْهِ، وَوَرِثَ مِنْ مِيرَاثِهِ حَتَّى أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ‏{‏ادْعُوهُمْ لآبَائِهِمْ‏}‏ فَجَاءَتْ سَهْلَةُ النَّبِيَّ ، فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ‏.‏

TOPICS
adoption  *  custom  *  names  *  preislamic

QUICK LESSONS:
Respect your parents and honor your lineage even if you are not related biologically .

EXPLANATIONS:
In pre-Islamic Arabia, it was common for people to adopt children and give them their own name. This meant that the adopted child would inherit from the adoptive father instead of his biological father. However, when Allah revealed (33:5) Surah Al Ahzab verse 5, He instructed people to call adopted sons by the names of their fathers instead. This verse changed this custom and made it clear that an adopted son should not be treated as if he were born from his adoptive father's loins; rather he should be called by his biological father's name so as not to confuse lineage or inheritance rights. This hadith also teaches us about the importance of respecting our parents and honoring our lineage even if we are not related biologically.

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