What is the ruling on naming a newborn girl Malak?
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The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Malak?
The questioner : Yes, that is correct.
The Shaykh : It is not permissible.
The questioner : It is not permissible?!
The Shaykh : No, first of all: it is not a proper name. Malak is the plural of Malik or Mala'ikah, so Malak is not a proper name like Hind or Zaynab, and so on. This is a trend of the present day where they choose a name that is not a proper name. You know what I mean.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : For example, some of them name a child Du'a. Is Du'a a proper name?!
And some of them name a child Iman, meaning they choose names that have a meaning but are not names of persons or proper names. So Malak means likening to the angels of the Most Merciful (Blessed and Exalted is He). This is not prescribed, I mean: it is not the practice of the Salaf. This is first. Second, do you have a newborn, if Allah wills?
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh : She was born and that was the end of it?
The questioner : And she was named Malak, but we reject the name.
The Shaykh : When was the birth?
The questioner : A full year.
The Shaykh : What Allah willed!
The questioner : It is not mine, it is my brother's.
The Shaykh : It is not important. The important thing is that the birth took place and the newborn was named Malak.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : I advise changing it, and it should be chosen from the names of the Companions to revive these names that people have today killed off with names for which Allah has not sent down any authority. Some of them name a child Nahad, and some of them name a child Wasal, and some of them this and that, and so on. And no one revives Fatimah and A'ishah and Zaynab, and so on. These names should be revived. This is my advice.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Malak?
The questioner : Yes, that is correct.
The Shaykh : It is not permissible.
The questioner : It is not permissible?!
The Shaykh : No, first of all: it is not a proper name. Malak is the plural of Malik or Mala'ikah, so Malak is not a proper name like Hind or Zaynab, and so on. This is a trend of the present day where they choose a name that is not a proper name. You know what I mean.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : For example, some of them name a child Du'a. Is Du'a a proper name?!
And some of them name a child Iman, meaning they choose names that have a meaning but are not names of persons or proper names. So Malak means likening to the angels of the Most Merciful (Blessed and Exalted is He). This is not prescribed, I mean: it is not the practice of the Salaf. This is first. Second, do you have a newborn, if Allah wills?
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh : She was born and that was the end of it?
The questioner : And she was named Malak, but we reject the name.
The Shaykh : When was the birth?
The questioner : A full year.
The Shaykh : What Allah willed!
The questioner : It is not mine, it is my brother's.
The Shaykh : It is not important. The important thing is that the birth took place and the newborn was named Malak.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : I advise changing it, and it should be chosen from the names of the Companions to revive these names that people have today killed off with names for which Allah has not sent down any authority. Some of them name a child Nahad, and some of them name a child Wasal, and some of them this and that, and so on. And no one revives Fatimah and A'ishah and Zaynab, and so on. These names should be revived. This is my advice.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.