Can I adopt or foster as a Muslim?

Yes. Caring for a child in need is among the greatest acts of mercy. The Prophet ﷺ said: “I and the one who cares for an orphan will be together in Paradise like this” — and he held his fingers close together (Bukhari 6005). Islam asks that a child’s lineage and identity remain clear and respected, but this does not lessen the love, protection, and reward of fostering or adoption.