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" ISLAMIC LAW AND ADOPTION IN PAKISTAN ISLAMIC LAW AND ADOPTION IN PAKISTAN By Zafar lqbal Kalanauri Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan Muslims are permitted to look after and provide for children who are not their own, however the adoption of these children is prohibited. In Western countries, where adoption is common practice, the adopted babies or children take the name of the family that adopts them. The majority of these children have no contact with their real parents and do not know who they are. They may, unknowingly, come into contact with their birth families and, in some cases, can end up marrying a sibling because they are unaware of their true heritage. Islam prevents this problem by placing great significance on the name of a child and thus ensuring that lineage is traceable. Names are important in Islam as many laws relate to blood relationships; these include marriage, custody and inheritance, among others. This is also one of the reasons why some women keep their names after marriage, unlike their Western counterparts. Thus, the relationship between guardian and child is more of a foster relationship, where the adults do not replace the biological family ' but perform an extremely valued role in looking after a child who will always belong to someone else. The child who is raised by "parents" who are not blood relations is not permitted to inherit from them; however he or she may marry "relatives" created by this bond. Even if a child has been abandoned and its father is not known, he or she may not be named after the family that takes him or her in. The Holy Quran clearly states: "Nor has He made your adopted sons your (biological) sons. Such is (only) your (manner oj) speech by your mouths. But Allah tells (you) the 7'ruth,…