Fatwa ID: 06791
Answered by: Alimah Jannatun Nessa
Question:
Is Maryam’s (AS) mother’s name good to keep as a name? If so, I would like to know the Arabic and English spelling of the mother of Maryam (AS) and also the meaning, please.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
When naming children, it is advised to keep names that have good meanings because 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. [Sunan Abi Dawud, 4948]
In addition, the Prophet (ﷺ) would often change names that had bad meanings into their positive counterparts; for example, he changed the name Harb (war) into Silm (peace). [Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 4956]
Maryam (AS) mother’s name was Hana (حنة). It means kind and compassionate, making it a suitable choice for a child’s name.
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Alimah Jannatun Nessa
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[Fathul Bari, volume 7, page 389, Daar al kutub al ilmiyyah]
واسم أم مريم حنة بمهملة ونون بنت فاقود اسم اختها والدة يحيى ايشاع.
[Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 4956]
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لَهُ ” مَا اسْمُكَ ” . قَالَ حَزْنٌ . قَالَ ” أَنْتَ سَهْلٌ ” . قَالَ لاَ السَّهْلُ يُوطَأُ وَيُمْتَهَنُ . قَالَ سَعِيدٌ فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيُصِيبُنَا بَعْدَهُ حُزُونَةٌ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَغَيَّرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم اسْمَ الْعَاصِ وَعَزِيزٍ وَعَتَلَةَ وَشَيْطَانٍ وَالْحَكَمِ وَغُرَابٍ وَحُبَابٍ وَشِهَابٍ فَسَمَّاهُ هِشَامًا وَسَمَّى حَرْبًا سَلْمًا وَسَمَّى الْمُضْطَجِعَ الْمُنْبَعِثَ وَأَرْضًا تُسَمَّى عَفِرَةَ سَمَّاهَا خَضِرَةَ وَشِعْبَ الضَّلاَلَةِ سَمَّاهُ شِعْبَ الْهُدَى وَبَنُو الزِّنْيَةِ سَمَّاهُمْ بَنِي الرِّشْدَةِ وَسَمَّى بَنِي مُغْوِيَةَ بَنِي رِشْدَةَ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ تَرَكْتُ أَسَانِيدَهَا لِلاِخْتِصَارِ .
Sa’id b. Musayyab told that his father said on the authority of his grandfather (Hazn): The Prophet (ﷺ) asked: What is your name? He replied: Hazn (rugged). He said: You are Sahl (smooth). He said: No, smooth is trodden upon and disgraced. Sa’id said: I then thought that ruggedness would remain among us after it.
AbuDawud said: The Prophet (ﷺ) 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 the 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).
[Sunan Abi Dawud, 4948]
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 .
Narrated by Abu Darda’:
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.
