Fatwa ID: 08142

Answered by: Molana Sibghat Ullah

Question:

I am looking for marriage and I am a revert. I have had a request from a sister to change my name into a Muslim name. My first name does not contradict anything within Islam in terms of its meaning, but my middle name is derived from the Hebrew meaning “God is my judge.” I chose not to change my name to respect my parents’ wishes, which I believe is compulsory — to not change my name at all. What should I do here?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

You should change the name only if the name has an element of shirk (associating partners with Allah), or if it has a bad meaning or is against the teachings of Islam.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to change the name of those who embraced Islam only if their names were improper or carried the wrong meaning1.

It is narrated by Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace be upon him) changed the name of ʿĀsiyah (disobedient); he (peace be upon him) said: “You are Jamīlah.”2

So, if your name is free from such things, then you can keep your name.

Hope this answers the question.

Only Allah knows best.

Written by: Molana Sibghat Ullah
Checked and approved by: Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham

References:

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يُغَيِّرُ الاِسْمَ الْقَبِيحَ
The Prophet (ﷺ) would change abhorrent names.

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم غَيَّرَ اسْمَ عَاصِيَةَ وَقَالَ ‏”‏ أَنْتِ جَمِيلَةُ
The Prophet (ﷺ) changed the name of ʿĀsiyah and said: “You are Jamīlah.”