A fatwā issued by al-Azhar has led to the return of the child, Shinūda, to the Coptic couple who raised him, following his time spent in the care of social services in an orphanage. These events have once again caused the matter of Christian adoption to be examined. According to the current law, families may adopt a child from an orphanage of the same religion that they follow, subject to background checks by the Ministry of Social Solidarity. However, issues within this law arose in 1971, when a regulation allowing adoption by Christians was suspended by Pope Shinūda III, but many have called for its reinstatement. The current alternative to traditional adoption is the ‘sponsorship’ system which differs in matters of inheritance and carrying the name of the family.