Comments on: Changing a New Muslim's Name: Custom or Religious Practice?

By: Saahirah Sulaiman

Saahirah Sulaiman — Thu, 22 Jun 2017 18:53:52 +0000

Assalamu alaykum,

Beloved Brothers and sisters, regarding this topic I am in need of advice.

For the past year or so I’ve been thinking about my name recently, Now every time I introduce myself to someone I’ve always introduced myself as Saahirah (Which means Moon and Ever flowing Spring) and even on formal stuff like email and even this website; I use this name.

However my name given to me by my parents is Tanbir which has no islamic significance or meaning which is one of the reasons why I want to change this name, I am a muslim and have been since I was born but is it in the limits of the Shari’a to change my name so people are obliged to call me by a new name?

Salaamu Alaykum

By: Martin

Martin — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 10:02:31 +0000

I am recent convert to Islam.however due to the nature of my busy studies in the university. I’m always do every islamic studies online with my laptop.
Now I need a name. how do I go about it?

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 18 Apr 2015 22:22:20 +0000

My advice to anyone considering changing their name is to think long and hard. Weigh the pros and cons. Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor changed his name to Kareem Abdul Jabbar after converting to Islam. The name change can signify re-birth and renewal and reflects the new values you have embraced. There is nothing wrong with that, nothing at all. I don’t believe it reflects cutting ties with your family. (Besides, if you come from an abusive dysfunctional family that possibly cut ties with you then changing your name based on your new faith and values is not ethically or morally wrong). The notion of cutting ties with family is an Arab notion that in my view does not apply to Americans in 21st century America. I am diametrically opposed to embracing Arab culture in any way, shape, or form. But, the name change is a not only a reflection of re-birth and renewal but it is a reminder. A reminder of who you want to be and the faith based values you want to uphold. Therefore, changing the name is not a problem, but it is welcomed with joy.
The negative aspect is one that the majority of “muslims” work to avoid and that is the anti-muslim sentiment that is highly prevalent in the America. This needs to be seriously considered before changing your name. I can give you an example of someone who had changed his name legally two years after converting to Islam. That person is me. Yes, I did it, I took the plunge and changed my name completely, much like Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor did. I did it because I loved my faith in God and the Koran. I wanted to live as a muslim. I was not ashamed nor frightened. I believed in the decency of my fellow Americans. What I discovered was hatred and racism. I experienced it on all sides even from “muslims”. Many a muslim called me “stupid” and “dumb”. Many a muslim after learning I had changed my name shook their head and looked down in disgust. I learned quick that the muslim community is not about faith in God, it’s about culture and money. And, it hurt job opportunities. No one will respond to your resume or job application. (well, not enough to give you hope) So, before considering changing your name think long and hard, weigh the pro and cons and look deep inside yourself and ask yourself if you are strong enough to take the journey and face the experiences that come with the name change. I did but after almost losing everything I cut my losses and went back to my birth name. Not one muslim came to show me moral support and they will not show you any support either. Not one. It’s a lonely path to walk. You have been forewarned.

By: Dian

Dian — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 04:54:59 +0000

Thank you for this. We had a hard time after our marriage- I’ve been Muslim since birth and my husband converted. My dad wanted him to adopt a Muslim name but only ones he approved. we gently refused and even talked to an Imam to see if it was necessary.

By: zdravo življenje

zdravo življenje — Sat, 23 Aug 2014 06:30:07 +0000

I couldn’t resist commenting. Perfectly written!

By: SAL

SAL — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 02:22:42 +0000

In reply to Ali. Beautifully said, Brother Ali. May God reward you.

By: Paul W.

Paul W. — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 02:18:50 +0000

In reply to John Ederer.

Asalamu Alykum Br. John,

While I enjoy your scholarship very much, I am replying to this 2 1/2-year-old article, to ask why you found the name “Paul” to be etymologically incompatible with Islam?

By: Muhammad Aliyu

Muhammad Aliyu — Sat, 28 Dec 2013 23:01:58 +0000

In reply to Usama.

Do I have to have a ‘Muslim’ name?
BY K_M123 – MARCH 11, 2012
POSTED IN: ANSWERS, ARTICLES

Since I am a Muslim, is it obligatory for me to have a Arabic, Muslim name? Am I obligated to change my English or Spanish name? Shaykh Abdullah Ali responds to this interesting question from one of our readers.

Question: I have a question regarding Muslims changing their entire name after coming into the faith of Islam. Is this permissible? I understood that to change your first name is okay, but to change your last name is not permissible. I am African-American and I have talked to several Muslims who all say that since you are African-American and your people were robbed of their names
and religion you are allowed to change your last name and select an Islamic name. Even those that are second, third generation Muslims when their parents became Muslim they changed their last names. So why cant we change ours? I have two children whom now carry my last name now, and I am bothered that I may have made a mistake in giving them my last name.

Shaykh Abdullah’s response:

Islam does not consider it an obligation for any new convert to Islam whose mother tongue is not Arabic to change it to an Arabic name or other language. Rather, it is only highly recommended for one to do so when the meaning of one’s name is something offensive or overly presumptuous in sound, like one indicating that one is pure or the like. During the Prophet Muhammad’s (saws) time, he changed the names of a number of women whose names were too pious sounding, like the name Barra (ultra-pious). Often he changed their names to Zaynab or the like such as Juwayriya (his wife). A number of men, like the companions known as ‘Abd Al-Rahman b. ‘Awf and Abu Hurayra (whose name was changed from ‘Abd Shams to either ‘Abd Allah or ‘Abd Al-Rahman) were also changed from those given to them at birth, since they indicated servitude and bondage to created beings or people. The father of the Tabi’i, Sa’id b. al-Musayyab refused to changed his name from Hazn (harsh in disposition) upon the urging of the Prophet. Consequently, his character was adversely affected.

As for last names, the Arabs of the early period did not have last names. Rather, their last names were connected to tribal affiliations or titles attaching them to certain tribal or regional sectors, like Qurashi, Khazraji, Makki, etc. Imam al-Bukhari, the famous hadith master and historian’s real name was Muhammad b. Isma’il. Al-Bukhari simply indicated the part of Persia he came from: Bukhara. The same can be said for all the other famous scholars. This same trend can be detected in the European and other traditions (although I plan to exhaust more research on the matter) such that last names that are familiar today originate in some sort of occupation, tribal affiliation, or regional ascription. Names like Johnson, Anderson, Jackson, Williamson, Fredrickson, Henderson, etc. originally was a way to say “son of John, son of Ander, etc.” The name, Black, may have originated from the word “Blacksmith”, and then shortened for brevity. Imam Abu Hamid’s own last name Al-Ghazali (or Al-Ghazzali) originates from the “spinner and seller of wool”, since his father was a poor wool merchant. So, in the end, you have not done anything inappropriate by giving your children your last name unless they are not biologically yours.

And Allah knows best( I copied and paste this article and this are not my word but I 100% agree with this article and completely disagree with other opinions!We received European first middle and especially the Surnames everyone wants Africans in Diaspora in America to remain slaves mentally I’m not the one!I have only one Master Allahu Subbana wa Ta’ala!

By: michael solomon 314

michael solomon 314 — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 02:52:19 +0000

you said (Islam teaches the utmost respect and honor for ones parents—Muslim or not. This is clear in the many verses of the Qur’an which command us to do so and some of them specify that the only exception is in obeying a parent’s call to an evil lifestyle. Changing your name not only erases and invalidates their very first interaction with you as parents, but gives the idea of you splitting from your family which can be perceived as breaking the ties of the womb.)

my muslim name has pained me beyond belief, i live in the west my name is ridiculable to those with simple christian names!!! i live in west yorkshire now imagine having your muslim name shouted out at the doctors surgery on a loud tannoy speaker in a yorkshire accent in front of an audience of white people with names like david, michael, davidson etc etc the muslim name is blurted out over tannoy MAH’MOOD!!!
MAH’BOOB or MAH’SOOD, BASHARAT, IQBAL, PERVAIS, SADAM, none of those are my names infact G-d has left me with a scapegoat not that i need one i’m the king messiah! i choose my own name regardless of my parents naming me mahamand that’s right my birth certificate has spelling mistakes mahamand kadeer sujawal are you serious hold on are you serious infact i could burst into tears right now!!! my 35yrs of life ive walked around bright red faced with embarrassment not just with the name but also the relentless lack of integration into english culture by my family, mahamand kadeer sujawal, first of all Mohammed is a prophet’s name when spelt properly! Kadeer is an attribute to G-d it’s illegal, sujawal isn’t even a name! what were my grandparents thinking honestly!!! my name when i can afford to change it by deed poll is Michael Mohammed Solomon G-d know’s this has always been my true name and guess what it’s not the hebrew jewish version or the muslim arabic version but it’s from the most detestable group english christian, i hate christians but this name i would be proud of in any country i’d enter. your telling me john that i must suffer a name that makes me more uncomfortable than anything else in the world? in that case if you were and anyone who support’s you then G-d willing i shall surely cast you into permanent hell fire myself!!! tell me do you outrank me the king messiah will you offer me the king messiah an alternative name to what i wish and will? G-d willing i would surely cast you into hell fire. you best watch what your insinuating!!! now i’m going to bed really pissed off! my name is Michael Mohammed Solomon remember it!

ive come to realise you can believe in G-d and worship G-d without suffering something there is no need to suffer for ps i mean no offence to the muslim names i mentioned above but they’re not exactly befitting other than in muslim countries, my name Michael Mohammed Solomon is a universal name so be it.

By: Manuel Kahn

Manuel Kahn — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 14:41:37 +0000

Assalamu alaykum,

I have just recently changed my surname from Khan to Kahn.
I am a proud Muslim but changed my name due to people questioning and causing me problems
I am a white German male who was luckily adopted by a muslim family who i lover very much. I changed it to kahn thinking it was German and also sounded like Khan.
Its come to my attention that Kahn is actually a Germaised Jewish name (variation of Cohen)
I am so confued and dont know what to do??
Should i change it back to khan and feel uncomfortable because of rascium an be worried about my unborn child having the same problems as me or should i keep kahn? Which is unfortunalty a Jewish surname…..