Should I take the surname of my father or the surname of my mother?

Koopa39

Member
[Please read the first post before posting an answer.]

Assalam Alaykoum,

I will convert to Islam soon and thus need to think about changing my western first name, middle name and surname (also called “family name” or “last name”).

I just read this article: https://islamqa.info/en/7180

At the very bottom of the article it is written:
4. The child must be named after his father even if the father is deceased or divorced, etc., even if he does not take care of the child or see him at all. It is utterly haraam to name a child after anyone other than his father, except in one case, which is when the child is born as the result of adultery (Allaah forbid). In this case the child should be named after his mother and it is not permissible to name him after his father.

My non-Muslim father married a non-Muslim women, lived with her for 15 years, had 3 children with her, then they separated and never saw each other again (except for one occasion perhaps).

My father then met my non-Muslim mother, they lived together for 25 years, they had 1 children (me), then my father died.

The problem is: My father never officially divorced with the other women, he never officially married my mother, when he died he officially was still married to the other women.

Thus my question is: For my surname, should I take the surname of my father or the surname of my mother?

Another idea would be to take the surname of one of my parents as my surname, and take the surname of my other parent as my middle name.

I have four options:
1) My surname = surname of my father ; My middle name = nothing
2) My surname = surname of my mother ; My middle name = nothing
3) My surname = surname of my father ; My middle name = surname of my mother
4) My surname = surname of my mother ; My middle name = surname of my father

I personally have no preference.
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Surnames aren´t obligatory in Islam. Did you father officially recognize you as his child? If not, as your father wasn´t married with your mother, you then can use the surname of your mother.
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Have you asked this matter from the authorities? They might know better what is suitable or possible to do and what´s not as in your country might have laws about changing surname. If you think what Islam says about changing surname, that´s not much. Chancing your name after reverting, first or surname, isn´t obligatory. In many cultures (including many Islamic origin ones) people might not have surnames at all.
 

Abu Juwairiya

Junior Member
It is preferable to take the name of your father. Islamic Scholars say on the Day of Judgment you will be called by the name of your father. It does not matter whether he was Muslim or not. There are exceptions to this rule, but from what you have described, your circumstances do not fall under those conditions.
 
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