65/33.2. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4782 — Calling Children by Their Fathers
"Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers. That is more just with Allah..." (V.33:5)
Hadith About Adoption in Islam and Preserving Lineage
Sahih Bukhari : 4782
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4782
حَدَّثَنَا مُعَلَّى بْنُ أَسَدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ الْمُخْتَارِ، حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ عُقْبَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سَالِمٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ حَارِثَةَ، مَوْلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا كُنَّا نَدْعُوهُ إِلاَّ زَيْدَ ابْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ حَتَّى نَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ {ادْعُوهُمْ لآبَائِهِمْ هُوَ أَقْسَطُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ}.
`Abdullah bin `Umar Narrated from:
We used not to call Zaid bin Haritha the freed slave of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) except Zaid bin Muhammad till the Qur'anic Verse was revealed:"Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers. That is more than just in the Sight of Allah." (33.5)
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4782In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 304USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 305
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4782
This hadith about adoption in Islam focuses on names and lineage. Abdullah bin Umar said they used to call Zaid bin Haritha by the name Zaid bin Muhammad. That changed when the Qur’anic verse was revealed: call them by the names of their fathers, for that is more just with Allah. The teaching here is direct and clear. A person’s known father should not be replaced in naming. The hadith does not discuss every matter of care, kindness, or raising a child. It speaks about the specific issue of calling adopted sons by their fathers’ names. The core message is justice in identity and family attribution.
What we learn from this hadith
- A known father’s name should be preserved in a person’s identity.
- The companions changed their wording after the Qur’anic verse was revealed.
- The hadith links correct naming with what is more just before Allah.
