FatwaFederal TerritoriesQuran & Hadith
IRSYAD AL-HADITH SIRI KE-326: PANGGILAN WAHAI ANAKKU
Is it permissible to address someone who is not our child as "my son"?
Short answer
It is permissible, and even encouraged, to address a child who is not one's own as "my son" when the aim is to show affection.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Irsyad al-Hadith
- Topic
- Quran & Hadith
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
It is permissible, and even encouraged, to address a child who is not one's own as "my son" when the aim is to show affection. This is based on the authentic hadith in Muslim in which the Prophet SAW called Anas bin Malik RA "O my son", and Imam al-Nawawi stated that the practice is recommended when intended as an expression of compassion. The address must not be meant as a claim that the child is truly one's own, since claiming another person's child as one's own is forbidden.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Kesimpulannya, digalakkan untuk memanggil selain daripada anak kita dengan panggilan "anakku" kerana perbuatan ini dilakukan juga oleh junjungan besar kita Nabi Muhammad SAW kepada bukan anak Baginda SAW.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “IRSYAD AL-HADITH SIRI KE-326: PANGGILAN WAHAI ANAKKU”, 26 December 2018. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-al-hadith/2947-irsyad-al-hadith-siri-ke-326-panggilan-wahai-anakku. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/calling-non-child-my-son-ruling/