Origins and Definitions 📚
Laqīt̤ (لقيط):
- Definition: “One who is picked up.” Laqīt̤ pertains to foundling children, those abandoned or lost and subsequently discovered by someone.
- Etymology: Derived from the Arabic root [ل ق ط] (l-q-t), meaning “to pick up” or “to gather.”
- Finder: The person who finds and takes care of the child is called the multaqit̤.
Historical and Cultural Background 🌍
In Islamic jurisprudence, finding and caring for a lost or abandoned child is considered a noble and commendable act. Culturally, it aligns with the broader Islamic principle of ensuring the welfare of the vulnerable and needy.
Laqīt̤ in Islamic Law 📜
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Laudable Act 🌟: Hidāyah (an authoritative text on Hanafi jurisprudence) indicates that taking up a foundling is an admirable deed. It reflects much on rendering social support within the community.
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Religious Duty: Should the child’s safety be endangered, it becomes a wājib (obligatory) act according to many scholars.
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Financial Responsibility: Maintenance and upbringing of a foundling are the state’s responsibility, managed from the public treasury. The multaqit̤ must not demand any compensation for their efforts.
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Legal Process 🏛️: Post-discovery, the multaqit̤ must report to the magistrate, who legally assigns the child under their care, ensuring state support is provided.
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Child’s Status:
- Always considered free.
- Islamically the child adopts the religion of the environment unless explicitly identified otherwise: found on Jewish or Christian property, the infant assumes that respective faith.
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Marriage and Education: While multaqit̤ requires magistrate’s consent for the foundling’s marriage, their education and overall welfare avenues are more autonomously managed.
Cultural Comparisons 🔍
Universal Context in Social Welfare: Comparable foster care and child welfare systems worldwide indicate humanity’s shared instinct towards safeguarding vulnerable young ones, transcending specific religious frameworks.
Other Religious Perspectives: Foundlings, orphanages, and general child protection also form pivotal parts of Christian communities, Hindu societies (e.g., images of Bal Gopal fostering divine care sentiments), and modern secular institutions globally, promoting a broad culture of caretaking.
Synonyms 🌐
- Waif
- Orphan (often overlapping categorically)
- Abandoned child
Antonyms 🚫
- Legitimate heir
- Biological offspring
- Adopted child (depending on context)
Related Terms ➕
- Multaqit̤: The finder and caretaker of a laqīt̤.
- Hidāyah: Extensive work of Islamic jurisprudence discussing foundling issues.
- Public Treasury (Bayt al-Mal): State fund responsible for foundling’s sustenance.
Intriguing Facts 🤔
- Early Islamic Empires: Many caliphs and sultans promoted formal institutions (akin to orphanages), embedding foundling care into state structure.
- Notable Organizations: Several Islamic charities today maintain traditional values of supporting orphans and foundlings globally.
Quotations 📜
“He who brought up an orphan will be in Paradise like this…”
- Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) illustrates the significance of caring for orphans and simply reflects this onto foundlings, ensuring deepened societal rooted care.
References & Suggested Literature 📚
- “Al-Hidāyah: The Guide” by Ibn al-Humam, translated by Charles Hamilton - Essential text exploring Islamic legal procedures.
- “Fiqh us-Sunnah” by Sayyid Sabiq - A compendium detailing practical applications of Islamic rulings.
- “Children and Childhood in Jewish Law and History” by Meir Baron - Comparative religious context for child welfare and law.
Quiz Time! 🎓
Farewell thought:
May we always be inclined to spread love and compassion, lifting society as a collective. Through understanding diverse practices and fostering communal responsibility, we shape a better world.
- Zainab Al-Rashid
