Fatwa ID: 05336

Answered by: Mufti Jamal Ahmed

Question:

I would like to know if it is permissible to use the name “Ahad” for a Muslim boy. I have heard different permissibility commentaries on using it without adding “AL” at the beginning. 

In the name of Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Answer:

If the meanings of the names are exclusively for Allah then it is not allowed to keep these names for anyone else, for example… Allah, Rahman, samad and Ahad, etc.

If the names are not exclusively for Allah then it is allowed to keep such names, for example; Raheem, Ra’uf, etc.

(Apka masail awr un ka hal, pg. 271, vol. 8)

But you can keep any names of Allah by adding Abd in front of it, for example, Abdullah, Abdur Rahman, which means the slave of Allah.

The name Ahad falls under the first category of names, thus it will not be allowed to keep this name without adding the word Abd in front of it.

قال الأزهري: لا يوصف شيء بالأحدية غير الله تعالى لا يقال: رجل أحد ولا درهم أحد كما يقال: رجل واحد أي فرد به بل أحد صفة من صفات الله تعالى استأثر بها فلا يشركه فيها شيء.

Tafseer Al razi, pg. 359-360, vol. 32, Darul Ihya Al turath

( قل هو الله أحد )

يعني : هو الواحد الأحد ، الذي لا نظير له ولا وزير ، ولا نديد ولا شبيه ولا عديل ، ولا يطلق هذا اللفظ على أحد في الإثبات إلا على الله عز وجل ; لأنه الكامل في جميع صفاته وأفعاله.

(Umdatut Tafseer, (Abridged Tafseer Ibn Kathir) vol. 3, 750, Darul Wafa)

Only Allah knows best

Written by Mufti Jamal Ahmed

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham