لاوارث بچوں کے حقوق: اسلامی تعلیمات اور ملکی قوانین کی روشنی میں تجزیہ

THE RIGHTS OF ABANDONED CHILDREN (AN ANALYSIS IN THE LIGHT OF ISLAMIC TEACHINGS AND NATIONAL LAW)

Abstract

In contemporary Islamic societies, the growing influence of Western culture, the wars imposed upon Muslim nations, and the recurring natural calamities and crises within our homeland have collectively contributed to a noticeable increase in the number of orphaned and abandoned children. Islamic teachings categorically prohibit all practices and circumstances that lead to the deprivation of a child’s lineage or guardianship. Nevertheless, when such children are found within society, Islam mandates that they be afforded the same social, legal, and economic protection as any other child. Islamic jurisprudence places profound emphasis on the care, upbringing, and moral training of destitute and helpless children. The classical jurists elaborated these directives comprehensively under the title “Aḥkām al-Laqīṭ”—the rulings pertaining to foundlings. In Pakistan as well, various legislative frameworks have been established over time to safeguard children’s rights, which, both directly and indirectly, encompass the rights of orphaned and abandoned children. These laws and measures aim to resolve their social difficulties and empower them to become morally upright and productive members of society. This study offers a comparative and analytical examination of the rights of orphaned and abandoned children in the light of **Islamic teachings** and **national legislation. It seeks to highlight the harmony between Islamic jurisprudence and modern legal systems in ensuring the welfare, protection, and dignified upbringing of such vulnerable members of the community.