Fatwa ID: 07194
Answered by: Maulana Mamunur Hussain
Question:
Can someone name his child Dunya (دنيا) since its quite common amongst people?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Naming a child is the first right of a child that should be fulfilled appropriately, there are many hadith advising on and indicating the need to name a child properly:
حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الطَّالْقَانِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُهَاجِرِ الأَنْصَارِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَقِيلُ بْنُ شَبِيبٍ
عَنْ أَبِي وَهْبٍ الْجُشَمِيِّ، وَكَانَتْ، لَهُ صُحْبَةٌ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ تَسَمَّوْا بِأَسْمَاءِ الأَنْبِيَاءِ وَأَحَبُّ الأَسْمَاءِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ وَأَصْدَقُهَا حَارِثٌ وَهَمَّامٌ وَأَقْبَحُهَا حَرْبٌ وَمُرَّةُ ” .
Abu Wahb al-Jushami (ra) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) 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.1
حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَوْنٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا ح، وَحَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي زَكَرِيَّاءَ، عَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ إِنَّكُمْ تُدْعَوْنَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِأَسْمَائِكُمْ وَأَسْمَاءِ آبَائِكُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا أَسْمَاءَكُمْ ” . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ ابْنُ أَبِي زَكَرِيَّاءَ لَمْ يُدْرِكْ أَبَا الدَّرْدَاءِ .
Abu Darda’ (ra) narrates that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: On the Day of Resurrection you will be called by your names and by your father’s names, so give yourselves good names.2
حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَوْنٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا ح، وَحَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي زَكَرِيَّاءَ، عَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ إِنَّكُمْ تُدْعَوْنَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِأَسْمَائِكُمْ وَأَسْمَاءِ آبَائِكُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا أَسْمَاءَكُمْ ” . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ ابْنُ أَبِي زَكَرِيَّاءَ لَمْ يُدْرِكْ أَبَا الدَّرْدَاءِ .
‘Aishah (ra) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) would change abhorrent names.”3
The above hadith indicate that it is important to name a child with a good name that has a good meaning, this can be further understood from the hadith citing that the Prophet (saw) would change names that were objectionable in meaning.
The name Dunya has no Islamic significance and real meaning in a name, therefore it would be better to use the names of the pious women of our rich history to name a female, the likes of the Mothers of the Believers, the female companions and other pious women mentioned. However, if one was to use this name, then in principle there is nothing wrong with it, however it will be better avoided.
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Maulana Mamunur Hussain
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
1 Sunan Abi Dawud 4950 & Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 814
2 Sunan Abi Dawud 4948
3 Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2839
