Asslamo Allaikum,
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Rulings and regulations
The matter of giving names is one of the most important issues in people’s lives, because a person’s name is a title which says something about him, and is essential for communicating with him. It is an adornment and symbol for the person, by which he is called in this world and in the Hereafter. It is indicative of the religion to which he belongs, and makes him feel that he is one of the followers of that religion. It gives an impression of him to other people, and in their view it is like a garment .If it is too long or too short, it does not look right.
There are some names that are more beloved to Allah than others and certain names that are forbiden (haram) and certain ones that are disliked (makroo).
It is according to the sunnah (the examples of the Prophet's life what he said, did, implemented, how he implemented), to change a bad name (whether it is an Arabic name or any other language) immediately, and it is permissible according to sunnah to exchange a name for a better one.
The Islamic system of naming is follows:
1 If the child is male then the full name of the child will be :
Name of child ibn (son of) name of father
eg.If the sons name was Abdullah and fathers name was Umar then the childs full name will be:
Abdullah ibn Umar
2 If the child is female then the full name of child will be
Name of child bint (daughter of) name of father
Eg, If the daughters name is Hafsa and fathers name is Umar the full name of child will be:
Hafsa bint Umar
Similary if a brother or sister converts to Islam and would like to change their name. They should change their name as above.
Thus if his father is John Smith and he chooses for himself the name say Bilal. Then his full name will be
1 Bilal ibn John or Bilal ibn John Smith
i.e. Bilal son of John Smith
2 Halima bint John or Halima bint John Smith
i.e. Halima daughter of John Smith
Note. New Muslim brothers and Sisters do not have to change their name unless that name is a bad name or an Islamicaly forbidden name such as a name of a pagan diety etc,
Naming of adopted or fostered children
Those children who are adopted or fostered must be given the name of their real father and not the person adopting or fostering them.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers, that is more just with Allaah…" [al-Ahzaab 33:5].
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever claims knowingly to belong to someone other than his father will be denied Paradise." (Reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim, Fath, no. 3982). He also said: "Whoever claims to belong to someone other than his father, will be cursed by Allaah, the angels and all the people, and Allaah will not accept any deeds or excuses from him on the Day of Resurrection." (Reported by Muslim, may Allaah have mercy on him, in his Saheeh, no. 2433).
Narrated from Abu Dharr, who heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: "There is no one who knowingly calls himself after someone other than his father, but he is guilty of Kufr"
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3371; Muslim, 61).
Ruling on women changing family name to Husbands name
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever calls himself by other than his father’s name (or attributes himself to someone other than his father), will be cursed by Allaah, the angels and all the people." (Reported by Ibn Maajah, 2599; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6104).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah has cursed the one who claims to belong to someone other than his father." (Reported by Imaam Ahmad and others).
Prohibited (haram) Names
Names indicating Enslavement to or worship of anything other than Allaah are haram. Among the names which express enslavement to or worship of anything other than Allaah are ‘Abd al-Rasool ("slave of the Messenger"), ‘Abd al-Nabi ("slave of the Prophet") Ghulam Rasool (slave of the Messenger in Urdu) and ‘Abd al-Ameer (slave of the prince) and other names which imply worship of or submission to anything other than Allaah.
The person who has a name like this must change it. The great Sahaabi ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: My name was ‘Abd ‘Amr " or according to one report, ‘Abd al-Ka’bah " and when I became Muslim, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) called me ‘Abd al-Rahmaan. (Narrated by al-Haakim, 3/306. Al-Dhahabi agreed with him)
Hadith - Bukhari 1:110, Narrated Abu Huraira
The Prophet said, "Name yourselves with my name (use my name) but do not name yourselves with my Kunya name (i.e. Abul Qasim)...."
Hadith - Muslim 5331, Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah
Allah's Messenger decided to forbid (his followers) to name persons as Ya'la (Elevated), Barakah (Blessing), Aflah (Successful), Yasar and Nafi', but I saw that he kept silent after that and he did not say anything until Allah's Messenger died. And he did not forbid (his followers to do this), then Umar decided to prohibit (people) from giving these names, but later on gave up the idea.
Names that are Disliked
Hadith - Bukhari (#819), Muslim, Abu Dawud, and Tirmidhi
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet of Allah said, "The name most detested by Allah is 'Malik Al-Amlak' ('King of Kings.')"
Hadith - Muwatta 54.24
Malik related to me from Yahya ibn Said that the Messenger of Allah asked about a milk camel about to be milked, "Who milks this camel?" A man stood up. The Messenger of Allah said, "What is your name?" The man said, "Murra (bitterness)." The Messenger of Allah said to him, "Sit down." Then he said, "Who milks this one?" A man stood up and the Messenger of Allah said, "What is your name?" He said, "Harb (war)." The Messenger of Allah, said, "Sit down." Then he said, "Who milks this camel?" A man stood up, and the Messenger of Allah, said to him, "What is your name?" The man said, ''Yaish (he lives)." The Messenger of Allah, said to him, "Milk!"
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Changing to a Better Name
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to change bad names to good ones.
Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #4774, Narrated 'Aisha
The Prophet used to change a bad name.
Tirmidhi transmitted it.
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that a daughter of ‘Umar was called ‘Aasiyah (disobedient), but the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) renamed her Jameelah (beautiful). Narrated by Muslim, 2139.
Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari 8.212, Narrated Abu Huraira
Zainab's original name was "Barrah," but it was said, "By that she is giving herself the prestige of piety." So the Prophet changed her name to Zainab.
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to change bad names to good ones.
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that a daughter of ‘Umar was called ‘Aasiyah (disobedient), but the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) renamed her Jameelah (beautiful). Narrated by Muslim, 2139.
narrated by al-Bukhaari (6190) from Ibn al-Musayyab that his father came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he said, "What is your name?" He said, "Hazn (meaning rough)."He said, "You are Sahl (meaning easy)."He said, "I will not change the name that my father gave to me." Ibn al-Musayyab said, "And we have had roughness (in character) ever since."
Roughness means being harsh and difficult to deal with.
Ibn Battaal said:
This shows that improving names and changing names to something better is not something that is obligatory.
Fath al-Baari.
And if it had been obligatory, the Sahaabi would not have refused to change his name, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would have compelled him to change his name.
Abu Dawud said: The Prophet changed the names al-'As, Aziz, Atalah, Shaytan, al-Hakam, Ghurab, Hubab, and Shihab and called him Hisham. He changed the name Harb (war) and called him Silm (peace). He changed the name al-Munba'ith (one who lies) and called him al-Mudtaji' (one who stands up). He changed the name of a land Afrah (barren) and called it Khadrah (green). He changed the name Shi'b ad-Dalalah (the mountain path of a stray), the name of a mountain path and called it Shi'b al-Huda (mountain path of guidance). He changed the name Banu az-Zinyah (children of fornication) and called them Banu ar-Rushdah (children of those who are on the right path), and changed the name Banu Mughwiyah (children of a woman who allures and goes astray), and called them Banu Rushdah (children of a woman who is on the right path). AbuDawud said: I omitted the chains of these for the sake of brevity.
Hadith (agreed upon)
The Prophet said, "Whoever shuns my Sunnah is never of me."
Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari 8.212, Narrated Abu Huraira, .
Zainab's original name was "Barrah," but it was said, "By that she is giving herself the prestige of piety." So the Prophet changed her name to Zainab.
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Most Beloved Names
It was narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh (2132) from the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The most beloved of your names to Allaah are ‘Abd-Allaah and ‘Abd al-Rahmaan.”"
Abu Dawood (4950) narrated that Abu Wahb al-Jushami, who was a companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Give your children the names of Prophets, and the most beloved of names to Allaah are ‘Abd-Allaah and ‘Abd al-Rahmaan, and the most truthful are Haarith and Hammaam [these names both refer to one who is always doing something, whether good or bad], and the worst are Harb and Murrah [meaning ‘war’ and ‘bitterness’ respectively]." Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
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Naming after a Prophet
Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari 8.218, Narrated Abu Musa
I got a son and I took him to the Prophet who named him Ibrahim, and put in his mouth the juice of a date fruit (which be himself had chewed, and invoked for Allah's blessing upon him, and then gave him back to me. He was the eldest son of Abu Musa.
Hadith - Abu Dawood, Narrated AbuWahb al-Jushami
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Call yourselves by the names of the Prophets. The names dearest to Allah are Abdullah and AbdurRahman, the truest are Harith and Hammam, and the worst are Harb and Murrah.
Abu
It is common for Muslim fathers to be referred to as "Abu" plus the first name of their son. For example, Abu Turab literally means "Father of Turab."
Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari 8.223, Narrated Sahl bin Sad
The most beloved names to 'Ali was Abu Turab, and he used to be pleased when we called him by it, for none named him Abu Turab (for the first time), but the Prophet . Once 'Ali got angry with (his wife) Fatima, and went out (of his house) and slept near a wall in the mosque. The Prophet came searching for him, and someone said, "He is there, lying near the wall." The Prophet came to him while his ('Ali's) back was covered with dust. The Prophet started removing the dust from his back, saying, "Get up, O Abu Turab!"
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Question :
I want to give my son a name. What is the Islamic guidelines on this?
Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
No doubt the matter of giving names is one of the most important issues in people’s lives, because a person’s name is a title which says something about him, and is essential for communicating with him. It is an adornment and symbol for the person, by which he is called in this world and in the Hereafter. It is indicative of the religion to which he belongs, and makes him feel that he is one of the followers of that religion. It gives an impression of him to other people, and in their view it is like a garment – if it is too long or too short, it does not look right.
The basic principle concerning names is that they are permissible, but there are some matters which are prohibited according to sharee’ah and should be avoided when choosing names. These include the following:
- Enslavement to or worship of anything other than Allaah, including Prophets and angels. It is not permissible to be enslaved to or to worship anyone or anything other than Allaah at all. Among the names which express enslavement to or worship of anything other than Allaah are ‘Abd al-Rasool (“slave of the Messenger”), ‘Abd al-Nabi (“slave of the Prophet”) and ‘Abd al-Ameer (slave of the prince) and other names which imply worship of or submission to anything other than Allaah. The person who has a name like this must change it. The great Sahaabi ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: My name was ‘Abd ‘Amr – or according to one report, ‘Abd al-Ka’bah – and when I became Muslim, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) called me ‘Abd al-Rahmaan. (Narrated by al-Haakim, 3/306. Al-Dhahabi agreed with him)
- Names of Allaah which are befitting only for Him, may He be glorified, such as al-Khaaliq (the Creator), al-Raaziq (the Provider), al-Rabb (the Lord), al-Rahmaan (the Most Merciful), etc., which are names that befit only Allaah; names which describe attributes which are true only of Allaah, such as Malik al-Mulook (King of kings), al-Qaahir (the Subduer), etc. It is haraam to call people by these names, and they must be changed. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Do you know of any who is similar to Him?” [Maryam 19:65].
- Names that belong exclusively to the kuffaar and are not used by anyone else, such as ‘Abd al-Maseeh (“slave of the Messiah”), Butrous (Peter), Jurjus (George), and other names which denote religions of kufr.
- Names of idols and false gods which are worshipped instead of Allaah, such as naming someone after a devil and so on.
It is not permissible to call people after the names referred to above; indeed, doing so is haraam and anyone who has such a name is obliged to change it.
- It is makrooh (disliked) to use names which have off-putting meanings, either because the meaning is ugly or because it will provoke others to make fun of the person. Such names also go against the teaching of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who commanded us to give beautiful names. Examples of such (objectionable) names include Harb (“war”), Rashaash (sprinkles or drizzle), and Hiyaam – which is the name of a disease suffered by camels – and other names which have ugly or unpleasant meanings.
- It is makrooh to use names which have alluring or provocative meanings. This happens a lot when it comes to naming girls, where some names are given which have sexual or provocative meanings.
- It is makrooh to deliberately name someone after immoral people such as singers and actors/actresses, etc. If they have good names, it is permissible to use those names, but it must be because of the meaning of the name and not because of the desire to imitate those people.
- It is makrooh to give names which have meanings that refer to sin, such as Saariq (“thief”) or Zaalim (“wrongdoer”); or to give the names of Pharaohs or sinners, such as Fir’awn (Pharaoh), Haamaan (the name of Pharaoh’s minister) and Qaaroon.
- It is makrooh to use the names of animals which are well-known for their undesirable characteristics, such as al-Himaar (donkey), al-Kalb (dog), al-Qird (monkey), etc.
- It is makrooh to use any name which is added to the words “al-Deen” or “al-Islam” (i.e., names which appear in idaafah – genitive construction – with these words), such as Noor al-Deen (“light of the religion”), Shams al-Deen (“sun of the religion”), Noor al-Islam (“light of Islam”), Shams al-Islam (“sun of Islam”), etc., because these names give a person more than he deserves. The scholars of the Salaf disliked being given nicknames of this sort. Imaam al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) disliked his nickname of Muhiy al-Deen (“reviver of the religion”); Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) also disliked his nickname of Taqiy al-Deen (“piety of the religion”), and he used to say, “But my family gave me this nickname and it became well-known.”
- It is makrooh to add any word to the name of Allaah except the word ‘Abd (slave), as in ‘Abd-Allaah (Abdullah). Example of this include Hasab-Allaah, Rahmat-Allaah (the mercy of Allaah), etc. It is similarly makrooh to add words to the word al-Rasool (the Messenger).
- It is makrooh to use the names of angels, or to call people after the names of soorahs in the Qur’aan, such as Ta-Ha, Yaa-Seen, etc. These names are al-Huroof al-Muqatta’ah (letters which appear at the beginning of some soorahs; their meaning is known only to Allaah – Translator), they are not names of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). See Tuhfat al-Mawdood by Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him), p 109.
These names are makrooh, and it is makrooh to give them to anyone. But if a person has been given such a name by his family, and he is grown up and it is difficult for him to change it, he does not have to do so.
There are four categories of good names:
The first (best) category is the names ‘Abd-Allaah and ‘Abd al-Rahmaan. It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The most beloved of names to Allaah are ‘Abd-Allaah and ‘Abd al-Rahmaan.” (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh, 1398).
The second category is all the names which express enslavement to and worship of Allaah, such as ‘Abd al-Azeez, ‘Abd al-Raheem, ‘Abd al-Malik, ‘Abd al-Ilaah, ‘Abd al-Salaam, etc.
The third category is the names of Prophets and Messengers – may the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them. Undoubtedly the best and greatest of them is our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him); the name Ahmad is also one of his names. Next come the names of the “Messengers of strong will” [cf. Al-Ahqaaf 46:35], namely Ibraaheem, Moosa, ‘Eesa and Nooh (may the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them), then the rest of the Prophets - may the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them.
The fourth category is the names of righteous slaves of Allaah, above all the companions of our noble Prophet. It is mustahabb to use their names, following their example and hoping to reach a higher status.
The fifth category is any other good name which has a proper and pleasant meaning.
It is good to pay attention to a number of matters when giving names to our children, including the following:
1. Recognizing the fact that this name will stay with the person for his entire lifetime, and it could cause some embarrassment or problems for him which in turn could make him feel badly towards his father, mother or whoever gave him this name.
2. When looking at names in order to choose one, we should look at it from a number of angles. We should look at the name itself, and also think of how it will sound when this person is a child, a youth, an adult, an old man and a father, and how it will suit his father to be called “Abu” (Father of) So and so, and how it will suit his son to be called Son and so son of So and so, etc.
3. Choosing the name is the right of the father, because he is the one after whom the child will be named (son of, or daughter of…). But it is mustahabb for the father to involve the mother in the decision and to ask for her opinion as to whether she thinks the name is good, so that she will feel happy.
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.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (
www.islam-qa.com)
Adopted or fostered Children names
Question :
I have read your responses to the following questions 2537 and 4362 concerning a wife retaining her father's name upon marriage. The Ayaat mentioned from Surah Al-Ahzaab states that adopted sons (and hence daughters?) should not be called as sons of the step-fathers. However, how exactly does this apply to a wife simply changing her name for marriage; as she is not actually claiming to belong to her husband, but just taking his name. If it is a question of lineage, I would appreciate specific references from the Qur'an and hadith.
Thank you for your help and clarification.
Jazak'Allah Khayr.
Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
The effects of imitating the west in naming ourselves are many. One of them is the way in which people have got used to omitting the word ‘ibn’ (son of) or ‘ibnatu’ (daughter of) between their own names and the name of their fathers. The reason for this is, firstly, because some families have adopted children and given them their surname, so that the adopted child is called Foolaan Foolan [where ‘Foolaan (=So and so)’ stands for a name] and their real children are called Foolaan ibn Foolaan (So and so the son of So and so). Now in the fourteenth century AH, people have dropped the word ‘ibn’ or ‘ibnatu’ – which is unacceptable according to linguistics, custom and sharee’ah. May Allaah help us.
Another effect is the habit of women taking their husband’s surnames.
Originally, the woman is So and so the Daughter of So and so, not So and so the wife of So and so! Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers, that is more just with Allaah…” [al-Ahzaab 33:5].
As it is in this world, so it will also be in the Hereafter, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“On the Day of Resurrection, each betrayer will have a banner raised beside him, and it will be said, this is the betrayer of So and so the son of So and so.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5709, and Muslim, 3265).
Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd (may Allaah preserve him) said: This is one of the beauties of sharee’ah, because calling a person by his father’s name is more appropriate for knowing who is who and telling people apart. The father is the protector and maintainer of the child and his mother both inside and outside the home. This is why the father mixes with people in the marketplaces and takes risks by travelling to earn a halaal living and strive for their sakes. So the child is given the name of the father, not of the mother who is hidden away and who is one of those whom Allaah commanded (interpretation of the meaning):
“And stay in your houses…” [al-Ahzaab 33:33]
(Tasmiyat al-Mawlood, 30, 31).
On the basis of the above, there is no blood tie between the husband and wife, so how can she take his surname as if she is part of the same lineage? Moreover, she may get divorced, or her husband may die, and she may marry another man. Will she keep changing her surname every time she marries another man? Furthermore, there are rulings attached to her being named after her father, which have to do with inheritance, spending and who is a mahram, etc. Taking her husband’s surname overlooks all that. The husband is named after his own father, and what does she have to do with the lineage of her husband’s father? This goes against common sense and true facts. The husband has nothing that makes him better than his wife so that she should take his surname, whilst he takes his father’s name.
Hence everyone who has gone against this and taken her husband’s name should put matters right. We ask Allaah to put all the affairs of the Muslims right.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (
www.islam-qa.com)
Question :
I read that upon getting married a female should not change her last name to that of her husband because that is like claiming to belong to a family or someone that she doesn't, and that she should keep her father's last name.
I understand that, but what do you do if you don't know your father's last name. Should you keep that name of your mother's family? I currently have my mother's family name. I plan to change my first name to an Islamic name, should I do the same for my last name?
Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
It is haraam for a person to call himself after anyone other than his father, or after people to whom he does not belong. This was stated in the saheeh hadeeth narrated from Abu Dharr, who heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “There is no one who knowingly calls himself after someone other than his father, but he is guilty of Kufr…”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3371; Muslim, 61).
According to the version narrated by al-Bukhaari: “who calls himself after people to whom he does not belong…”
Falsely attributing a person to people he does not belong to results in violation of the laws of Mahram (close blood ties dictating who is and is not permissible for marriage), inheritance, custody, guardianship in marriage, etc.
With regard to what should be done, we put this question to Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, may Allaah preserve him, who answered as follows:
She cannot take the name of anyone other than her family, and it is not permissible to do so. She has to change her name.
If she does not know her father’s name or family, she can call herself by a general name such as Faatimah bint ‘Abd-Allaah or Faatimah bint ‘Abd al-Rahmaan.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (
www.islam-qa.com)
Question :
We are expecting our first baby. Al-HamduAllah. My husband is Arab. I am American. If we are given a boy, my husband wishes to name him Abu Bakr. I feel that this is a most beautiful name. However, I am not well versed in Arabic. It has been my understanding that the word Abu refers to "Father Of" for example: Abu Nuh, Father of Nuh. If we are to name our child Abu Bakr, Would this mean that he is the "Father of Bakr?" Did this most wonderful companion of the Prophet (PBUH) go by any other names? I have her the name Siddiq. Are there others. Is this name appropriate for a child? Please forgive my ignorance. Also, the sound of the name may play some part with me as I am American. This can be overcome however. I only wish to do what is pleasing to Allah (SWT) and His Messenger. Also, I wish to please my husband and not cause him trouble with this.
Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
The full name of Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allaah be pleased with him) was ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Amr al-Qurashi. His father’s kunyah was Abu Quhaafah.
The kunyah is a nickname which starts with Abu (father of) or Umm (mother of). It usually includes the name of the oldest son. It may also be just a nickname, as in the example given in the question, since Abu Bakr did not have any child whose name was Bakr. The nickname may be given because of something that is unique to that person, such as Abu Hurayrah (lit. father of the kitten). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave him this nickname because he would often carry a cat or kitten with him.
Another example is the nickname Abu Turaab (father of dust) which was the kunyah of ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave him this nickname when he saw him with dust on his back and shoulders.
Therefore there is no reason why you cannot give your child the nickname of Abu Bakr, not as a name.
It is well known that Abu Bakr’s real name was ‘Abd-Allaah. Although it was reported that his name was ‘Ateeq, the correct view is that this was one of his attributes (‘Ateeq = freed, i.e., from the Fire). (Al-‘Istee’aab by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, 8/963; al-Isaabah, 4/170-171).
Among his children were: ‘Abd-Allaah, ‘Abd al-Rahmaan, Muhammad, ‘Aa’ishah, Asmaa’ and Umm kalthoom.
If you were to name your son ‘Abd-Allaah – because this is the most beloved of names to Allaah – and give him the nickname of Abu Bakr because it is Sunnah to give young children such nicknames in order to make them feel grown up and responsible, this would be an ideal solution. May Allaah help us and you to do all that is good.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (
www.islam-qa.com)
Question :
Is it permissable for a child to call her stepfather Abu or Abi as long as she knows who her real father is, and she carried her real father's name? Her real father is muslim, but she calls him daddy, and for the sake of unity in the home, we want her to call her stepfather Abi like the others do.
Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
Before answering this question, it will be useful to shed more light on the issue of adoption and giving a child a name or lineage that is not really his.
In Islam, adoption (i.e., giving your name to a child who is not yours) is haraam, and is considered to be a major sin because of the wrongdoing and corruption that result from it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers, that is more just with Allaah…" [al-Ahzaab 33:5].
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever claims knowingly to belong to someone other than his father will be denied Paradise." (Reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim, Fath, no. 3982). He also said: "Whoever claims to belong to someone other than his father, will be cursed by Allaah, the angels and all the people, and Allaah will not accept any deeds or excuses from him on the Day of Resurrection." (Reported by Muslim, may Allaah have mercy on him, in his Saheeh, no. 2433).
In his commentary on this hadeeth, al-Nawawi said: "This is clearly stating the emphatic prohibition of claiming to belong to anyone other than one's real father… because this involves ingratitude and a denial of the rights of inheritance, as well as cutting family ties and undutifulness to parents." (al-Nawawi's statement ends). It also involves not carrying out the rules of inheritance, and ignoring the prohibited degrees of marriage to women [i.e. a man may unknowingly marry someone he is not permitted to, such as a sister, when true origins are concealed by not calling a child after his real father - translator's note], etc.
If a man wants to sponsor an orphan, the child must still be named after his father, if his name is known; it is not permissible to attribute this child to himself by giving him his name. If the child's real origins are not known, then he should be given an appropriate name by which he may be known to others, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers, that is more just with Allaah. But if you know not their father's (names, call them) your brothers in faith …" [al-Ahzaab 33:5]
In answer to your question, which has to do with a girl - for example - addressing the one who is sponsoring her and bringing her up as "Father" or "Daddy," Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz has issued a fatwa (ruling) stating that this is allowed, because he is acting in the position of a father to her, and we should not be so strict in this matter.
Note: If a man is sponsoring a very young girl (less than two years old) he should try to establish the relationship of mahram by letting her breastfeed from his wife, mother or sister, so that she will become his mahram, otherwise he has to make sure that she does not uncover (take off her hijaab) in front of him when she grows up. The exception to this is a step-daughter (his wife's daughter from a previous marriage); she does not have to wear hijaab in front of her mother's husband even if no relationship is established through breastfeeding (al-radaa').
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (
www.islam-qa.com)
