Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

As-Salaam Aleikum,

I am pregnant and would like to keep an islamic name / Arabic name to my child with a beautiful meaning. However, My husband is a revert to Islam and Alhumdulliah he is a practising muslim. The main problme is that his parents are still Unbelivers (Non Muslims) and they are insisting on giving a muslim name to the child. I would like to know, Is it lawful / acceptable in the sight of Allah Shariah that they (non muslims) give the name to a Believers child (muslim) and do they have the complete rights to give a name to our child?

I would also be glad if you can send in some good names along with the meanings so that it would be easier for us to choose and name our child.

Please reply to my question at the earliest as I have very less time left for my delivery.

Best Regards,

Your Sister In Islam

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Assign name for child right

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: ….do they (grand-parents) have the complete rights to give a name to our child?

It is the duty and responsibility of the parents in Islam to assign a good name to their off-spring; thus in reality the sole right of assigning a name for their children belongs only to the parents of the new-born.  But if the parents of the new-born, of their own free will and choice, wish to nominate or honor one amongst their loved ones to assign a name for their new-born, they are well within their rights to do so.

Your Question: ….I would also be glad if you can send in some good names along with the meanings so that it would be easier for us to choose and name our child.

Beloved sister in Islam, a name assigned to each individual is no more than a sign or recognition of that person; and there is absolutely no obligation or compulsion in Shariah that a believer is obliged or required to give their children a ‘traditional’ Islamic or muslim name.  One is at complete liberty to assign any good wholesome name to their off-spring in absolutely any language they will or please.

The only names which Islam prohibits from assigning to a believer are names which connote or denote polytheism or disbelief (Abdul-Lat, Abdul-Uzza, (slaves of the pagan gods like Lat and Uzza, etc.) or names like Ramdas (slave of the Hindu god Ram), etc.; or names which have an inherit evil or vile meaning. 

Other than names which connote polytheism and disbelief, or names which have an inherently evil meaning….Islam has allowed the believers the complete freedom to chose and assign any good wholesome name in any language they will and please.

Among the best Islamic names one may assign are Abd-Allah or Abd-ar-Rahmaan.   Also, any name whereby one declares his subjugation to one of the many Attributes of Allah,  like Abddus-Shukoor,  Abdul-Maalik,  Abdur-Razzaak,  Abdul-Khaalik, etc.  are considered good Islamic names.

Then there are the names of any of the Prophets of Allah like Adam,  Nuh,  Ibraheem,  Moosa,  Yahya,  Isa,  Idrees,  Sulaimaan,  Dawood,  Mohamed,  etc.   Any of these names are good names for boys.

And then there are the hundreds if not thousands of names of the noble companions of the Last Messenger of Allah (saws) like Abu Bakr,  Umar,  Uthman,  Ali,  Bilaal,  Salmaan,  Hudhaifa,  Khalid,  Ammaar,   Yaasir,  etc.  

If Allah Subhanah blesses one with a daughter, amongst the good names one may assign for their daughters are Maryam, Asiya, Khadijah, Aisha, Hafsa, Safeeyah, Zainab, Fatimah, Ruqaiyyah, etc.

The deen of Islam is rich in history… from the times of Prophet Adam (a.s.) to the present day…  And any good name of any of the God-fearing and pious slaves of Allah would make for a good Islamic name for the new born.

If one wills, one may choose from any of the terms which possess a good wholesome meaning, like Saleh/Salehah (righteous), Saajid/Saajidah (one who prostrates), Jameel/Jameelah (graceful), Fawwaz (successful), Muhsin (benevolent), etc.

Any name which has a good meaning would be perfectly acceptable in Islam.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan