Vivyo hivyo, desturi ya kuasili mtoto ilionyesha kasoro katika msingi wa familia na jamii. Ingawa usafi wa maadili (ʿiffah) ulithaminiwa sana na Waarabu ambao, kama inavyojulikana sana, walijivunia nasaba zao, zilikuwepo pia mambo mengine yaliyoenda kinyume chake. Mambo haya yalikubalika kwa ujumla, lakini si katika familia na koo mashuhuri. Kwa kweli, baadhi ya watu hawakuweza kujua baba zao walikuwa nani.
Similarly, the practice of adopting a child reflected flaws in the foundation of the family and society. Although chastity was highly valued by the Arabs who, as is widely known, took pride in their ancestry, there were other phenomena that moved in the opposite direction. These were generally accepted, but not in the prominent families and clans. Indeed, some individuals could not tell who their fathers were.
Zaidi ya hayo, ikiwa mwanamume alimpenda mmoja wa hawa "watoto wa kuzaliwa," angeweza kumlea kumchukua, akimwita mwanawe, na wawili hao wangerithiana. Jambo hilo hilo lilitumika kwa baadhi ya watu ambao baba zao halisi walijulikana hata wao. Katika hili, nao pia wangeweza kuchukuliwa kama watoto. Hili lilikuwa hasa kwa mateka, pale watoto au vijana walipochukuliwa mateka katika uvamizi dhidi ya kabila au wakati wa vita. Mwanamume akitaka kumchukua mateka wa namna hiyo kama mwanawe, angetangaza kuchukuliwa huko, na mateka huyo angejulikana kuwa mwana wa baba yake wa kulea. Kisha angefurahia haki za kuwa mwana na alikuwa analazimika kutekeleza wajibu wake kama mwana.
Furthermore, if a man liked one of these ‘off-spring’, he could adopt him, calling him his son, and the two would then inherit each other. The same applied to some people whose real fathers were even known. In this respect, they too could be adopted. This was particularly so with captives, when children or adolescents were taken captive in a raid on a clan or during a war. If a man then wished to adopt such a captive, he would declare such adoption, and the captive would then be known as a son of his adopting father. He would then enjoy the privileges of being a son and was required to fulfil his duties as a son.
Mmoja wao alikuwa Zayd ibn Ĥārithah, wa kabila la Kiarabu la Kalb. Alitekwa mateka akiwa mdogo katika zama za kabla ya Uislamu, kisha akauzwa kwa Ĥakīm ibn Ĥizām, ambaye alimpa zawadi shangazi yake Khadījah. Alipoolewa na Mtume ﷺ, alimpa Zayd kama zawadi, lakini baba yake Zayd na mjomba wake wakamwomba Mtume ﷺ amwachilie Zayd.
One of these was Zayd ibn Ĥārithah, of the Arab tribe of Kalb. He was taken captive when young in pre-Islamic days, then sold to Ĥakīm ibn Ĥizām who gave him as a gift to his aunt Khadījah. When she was married to the Prophet, she gave him Zayd as a gift, but Zayd’s father and uncle appealed to him for Zayd’s release.
Kisha Mtume ﷺ aliamua kumpa chaguo, naye akachagua kubaki pamoja na Mtume ﷺ. Kwa hiyo, Mtume ﷺ alimwacha huru na kumchukua kama mwanawe. Kisha aliitwa Zayd bin Muhammad ﷺ. Islam ilipoanza miaka kadhaa baadaye, yeye alikuwa mtu wa kwanza kukubali Uislamu kutoka miongoni mwa tabaka la chini la jamii.
The Prophet then decided to give him a choice, and he chose to remain with the Prophet. Therefore, the Prophet set him free and adopted him as his son. He was then called Zayd ibn Muĥammad. When Islam started several years later, he was the first man to accept Islam from among the lower classes in society.
Baadaye, Uislamu ulipoanza kuweka mahusiano ya kifamilia juu ya msingi wake wa asili na kuimarisha uhusiano wa kifamilia, huku ukiyasafisha na upotoshaji wowote, ulifuta kuasili, na kufanya uhusiano halisi wa damu kuwa sababu pekee ya mwana na baba kuitwa hivyo.
Subsequently, when Islam began to set family relations on their natural basis and strengthen family bonds, purging these of any distortion, it abolished adoption, making the true blood relation the only cause for a son and father to be so called.
Kwa hiyo, Qur'ani inasema: "Wala hakufanya watoto wenu wa kulea kuwa watoto wenu wa kweli. Hayo ni maneno tu mnayotamka kwa midomo yenu." (Aya ya 4)
Maneno hayawezi kubadilisha uhalisia, wala hayawezi kuanzisha uhusiano mbadala na ule wa damu, ambao huruhusu sifa za kurithi zinazotokana na mimba, ujauzito na kuzaliwa, na ambao kisha huruhusu hisia za asili kuibuka. Ukweli ni kwamba mtoto huonekana kama sehemu hai ya wazazi wake wa asili.
Therefore, the Qur’ān states: “Likewise, He does not make your adopted sons truly your sons. These are only words you utter with your mouths.” (Verse 4) Words can neither change reality nor can they establish a substitute relation to that of blood, which allows for hereditary qualities resulting from conception, pregnancy and birth, and which then allows for natural feelings to be engendered. The fact is that a child is seen as a living part of its natural parents.
"Lakini Mwenyezi Mungu husema kweli, na Yeye peke yake ndiye anayeonyesha njia iliyo sahihi." (Aya ya 4) Mwenyezi Mungu husema kweli tupu isiyo na uongo wowote kabisa. Ni haki kwamba uhusiano wa kifamilia uanzishwe juu ya ukweli wa ndoa na kuzaliwa, si juu ya maneno matupu tu.
“But God says the truth and He alone shows the right path.” (Verse 4) God says the absolute truth which admits no falsehood whatsoever. It is only right that family relations should be established on facts of marriage and birth, not on mere words.
Mungu hakika huonyesha njia iliyo sawa, inayolingana na maumbile safi na yasiyopotoshwa ya binadamu, na ambayo haiwezi kubadilishwa na mfumo wowote uliotengenezwa na binadamu. Bila shaka, neno la kweli lililotamkwa na Mungu ni imara na lenye nguvu zaidi.
God indeed shows the right path that is in harmony with sound, undistorted human nature and which cannot be substituted by any man-made system. Needless to say, the word of truth stated by God is far stronger and more solid.
"Waiiteni kwa majina ya baba zao; hiyo ndiyo yenye haki zaidi mbele ya Mungu." (Aya ya 5) Ni haki kabisa kwamba mtoto aitwe kwa jina la baba yake: ni haki kwa baba ambaye mtoto amepatikana kutoka kwake, na ni haki kwa mtoto kuchukua jina la baba yake, kurithi na kurithiwa naye, kushirikiana naye, na kuendeleza ukoo unaomhusisha na mababu zake. Pia ni haki kuweka kila kitu mahali pake panapostahili na kuanzisha kila uhusiano juu ya msingi wake wa asili, bila kumnyima mtoto wala mzazi sifa yoyote maalum au ya kipekee. Zaidi ya hayo, ni haki kabisa kwamba hakuna mtu mwingine isipokuwa mzazi wa asili atakayebeba wajibu wa kulea wala kufaidika nao, na hakuna mtu mwingine isipokuwa mtoto wa asili atakayekuwa na haki na wajibu wa kuwa mwana au binti.
“Call them by their fathers’ names; that is more just in God’s sight.” (Verse 5) It is only fair that a child should be called by its father’s name: it is fair to the father from whom the child comes into existence, and fair to the child to take his father’s name, inherit and be inherited by him, cooperate with him and provide a continuation of the lineage that relates him to his ancestors. It is also fair to put everything in its proper place and establish every relation on its natural basis, allowing no child or parent to be deprived of any special or distinctive quality. Moreover, it is only fair that no one other than the natural parent should shoulder the parental responsibility or enjoy its benefit, and no one other than a natural child should have the rights and duties of being a son or daughter.
Uislamu hutoa mfumo unaohakikisha uwiano katika mahusiano ya kifamilia na kuipa familia msingi imara na halisi. Wakati huo huo, huipa jamii msingi thabiti unaounganisha uhalisia na maumbile. Mfumo wowote unaopuuza familia ya kimaumbile hakika utashindwa, kwa kuwa ni dhaifu na umejengwa juu ya uongo.
Islam provides a system which ensures balance in family relations and gives the family a strong and real foundation. At the same time, it gives society a solid foundation that combines reality with nature. Any system that ignores the natural family is bound to fail, because it is weak and based on forgery.
Kwa kuwa kulikuwa na mkanganyiko mkubwa katika mahusiano ya kifamilia katika jamii ya Kiarabu kabla ya Uislamu, na kwa sababu ya uhuru uliokithiri wa kingono ambao ulisababisha baadhi ya mahusiano ya kifamilia kutojulikana, Uislamu ulifanya mambo kuwa rahisi, ukitoa baadhi ya msamaha. Kwa mfano, endapo baba halisi wa mtoto wa kulea angekuwa hajulikani, mtoto huyo bado alikuwa na nafasi yake katika jamii ya Waislamu; uhusiano uliojengwa juu ya udugu wa imani na ulinzi: "Na ikiwa hamuwajui baba zao, basi wao ni ndugu zenu katika dini na walinzi wenu." (Aya ya 5) Huu, basi, ni uhusiano wa kimaadili usioleta wajibu wa kiutendaji, kama vile urithi na kushiriki katika malipo ya diya (fidia ya damu). Kabla ya Uislamu, wajibu huu wa kifamilia ulipanuliwa ili uhusu pia mahusiano ya kulea. Lengo la kuunda uhusiano huu wa kimaadili ni kumpa mtoto aliyekuwa wa kulea mahali pa kushikamana katika jamii baada ya kufutwa kwa desturi ya kulea. Rejeo katika aya hiyo kwa watoto wa kulea ambao baba zao hawakujulikana linatupa picha wazi ya mkanganyiko uliokuwepo katika mahusiano ya kifamilia na maadili yaliyolegea yaliyotawala katika Uarabuni kabla ya Uislamu. Uislamu ulimaliza yote haya kwa kuanzisha jamii iliyojengwa juu ya msingi wa kitengo cha familia ambacho, nacho, kinajengwa juu ya mahusiano halisi ya ndoa na ya damu.
Since there was much confusion in family relations in pre-Islamic Arabian society, and because of the prevalent sexual permissiveness that led to some family relations being unknown, Islam made things easy, providing certain concessions. For example, should the true father of an adopted child be unknown, the child still had its place in the Muslim community; a relation based on brotherhood in faith and patronage: “If you do not know who their fathers are, then treat them as your brethren in faith and your proteges.” (Verse 5) This is, then, a moral relation that does not create practical commitments, such as inheritance and sharing in the payment of blood money. In pre-Islamic days, these family commitments were extended so as to apply to relations through adoption. The purpose of creating this moral relation is to give the formerly adopted child a bond in society after the abolition of adoption. The reference in the verse to those adopted children whose fathers were unknown gives us a clear picture of the prevalent confusion in family relations and the loose morality that held sway in pre-Islamic Arabia. Islam put an end to all this by establishing a society on the basis of the family unit which, in turn, is based on real marital and blood relations.
Waislamu wanapojitahidi kwa makini kuwaita watu wote kwa majina ya baba zao, hawalaumiwi pale wanaposhindwa kuthibitisha ukweli halisi: "Hamtakuwa na dhambi kwa kosa mtakalolifanya, bali (ni) yale ambayo nyoyo zenu zimeyakusudia." (Aya 5) Mtazamo huu wa wema unatokana na ukweli kwamba Mwenyezi Mungu husamehe na kuwarehemu waja Wake, na kamwe hawatwiki mzigo zaidi ya uwezo wao wa kawaida: "Hakika Mwenyezi Mungu ni Mwingi wa kusamehe, Mwenye kurehemu." (Aya 5)
When Muslims have carefully endeavoured to call everyone by their fathers’ names, they are not to he blamed for cases where they are unable to establish the true facts: “You shall not be blamed if you make a mistake, but for what your hearts intend.” (Verse 5) This benevolent attitude results from the fact that God forgives and bestows mercy on His servants, and He never charges them with more than they can reasonably do: “God is indeed Much-Forgiving, Merciful.” (Verse 5)
Mtume alisisitiza sana haja ya kuanzisha uzazi halisi, ili mfumo mpya wa Kiislamu uweze kukomesha machafuko ya kijamii yaliyokuwepo kabla ya Uislamu. Wale wanaokificha mahusiano halisi wanaonywa kwamba wanaweza kuchukuliwa kuwa makafiri. Ripoti moja ya al-Ţabarī inataja kwamba Abū Bakr alipowahi kusoma aya hii, mtu aliyeitwa `Abd al-Raĥmān alitangaza: “Mimi ni miongoni mwa wale ambao baba zao hawajulikani. Mimi ni ndugu yako katika imani.” Ripoti hiyo inamnukuu mwana wa `Abd al-Raĥmān, `Uyaynah, akisema kuhusu baba yake: “Kwa Mungu! Ninaamini kwamba, angejua kwamba baba yake alikuwa punda, angejitangaza kuwa mwana wa punda huyo.” Mtume ﷺ anasema: “Yeyote anayedai kwa makusudi kuwa mwana wa mtu mwingine asiyekuwa baba yake, si mwumini.”
The Prophet placed a strong emphasis on the need to establish real parenthood so that the new Islamic system could put an end to the social chaos that prevailed before Islam. Those who suppress true relations are warned that they could be considered as unbelievers. A report by al-Ţabarī mentions that Abū Bakr once recited this verse and a man called `Abd al-Raĥmān declared: “I am one of those whose fathers are not known. I am your brother in faith.” The report quotes `Abd al-Raĥmān’s son, `Uyaynah, as saying of his father: “By God! I believe that had he known that his father was an ass, he would have declared himself the son of that ass.” The Prophet says: “Whoever knowingly claims to be the son of someone other than his father is not a believer.”