🌍 Children, inheritance & global · #67

The mother has remarried and the child wants to take the stepfather's name as "bin". Is that allowed?

No. A child is still named as the son or daughter of their natural father; a stepfather may care for and love the child, but cannot replace their lineage.
Allah says: call them by their fathers' names; that is more just in Allah's sight (al-Ahzab 33:5), and the Prophet ﷺ gave a stern warning to anyone who knowingly claims to be the child of someone other than their father (Sahih al-Bukhari 6766). Lineage determines the guardian, mahram relations, maintenance and inheritance; changing it can cause great confusion in marriage and the division of property later. At school or socially, the child may call the stepfather "ayah" or "abah" affectionately without changing the official name. The natural father remains responsible for maintenance and contact. See Custody & lineage.

Sources

Surah al-Ahzab 33:5Sahih al-Bukhari 6766Surah al-Ahzab 33:4

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This answer is general reference, not a fatwa. For your situation, consult the religious affairs office, a Syarie lawyer or your state Syariah Court.

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