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February 25, 2013

Spain Says Children Adopted from Morocco Must Remain Muslim

Spanish government sides with Islamic policy of kafala in order to finalize pending adoptions.

Melissa Steffan

Moroccan children adopted by Spanish families will be monitored by the Moroccan government until they reach the age of 18—but not to check up on their overall well being. Instead, Morocco intends to ensure that the adopted children remain culturally and religiously Muslim.

Morocco enforces an Islamic practice called kafala, which prevents conversion to Christianity among adopted children by ensuring that children are raised Muslim.

According to the Gatestone Institute, Morocco issued a provision preventing foreign adoptions to non-Moroccan residents, but the new Spanish agreement overrides that restriction. Spain reportedly agreed to allow Morocco to monitor the adopted children in order to finalize pending Spanish-Moroccan adoptions.

CT previously has reported on the topics of Spain, Morocco, and adoption, including the short-supply of available foreign adoptions and the trend toward open adoptions in the United States. CT also noted Russia's recent decision to restrict adoptions of Russian children to American parents.

posted by Melissa Steffan | Comments (3)

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sounds like Islam is unwilling or unable to care and provide for these children but if someone else dares to do it then Islam insists you do it their way.

Posted By: steve365 | February 25, 2013 10:38 AM

There is no adoption in Islam. The "adopting" parent here only cares for the child, who keeps his/her name, knows its parent's identity, keeps its nationality, religion and can't inherit more than a third of the adopting parent estate if the adopting parent wants the child to inherit at all. It's the same for muslim adopters and non-muslims.
More importantly, the child is and will always be of Moroccan nationality
Now, that's the system. take it or leave it. There are unfortunately too many abandoned kids around the world, so if the Moroccan law doesn't suit you needs, there are other countries who will oblige.

Posted By: Moxtar | February 25, 2013 4:00 PM

Over 500 teenage girls kidnapped in Egypt since Jan 2011. Most foreced married to Muslims and they thence become Muslim too.
Great one sided hedging Islamic rules

Posted By: arthur williams | February 25, 2013 4:55 PM

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