What is the criterion when naming children?
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The questioner : May Allah preserve you, O Shaykh. In this time, there has been a great opening up regarding names, so people have started naming their children with many names. Some are taken from the Noble Qur'an, such as the names of the surahs, like Anfal or others. Some are names that may involve imitating others, and so on. Is there a criterion for a name that does not contain any prohibition? And what is the most suitable?
The Shaykh : By Allah, the matter is as you said: it has opened up regarding names. They have moved away from the old names, and from the recent names that are close to them, to new, strange names, as you mentioned. Some of them have started naming with what is specific to the Qur'an, such as Bayan or Furqan. Some of them name with Malak or Malak. Some of them name with Abrar, and so on.
So whatever resembles what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade, or what he changed, it is forbidden and must be changed. And as for what is other than that, the original ruling is permissibility. This is because the legal principle that a student of knowledge should understand is that the original ruling for everything other than acts of worship is permissibility, whether in customs, benefits, or otherwise. The original ruling for them is permissibility, except for what evidence has established as forbidden. As for acts of worship, the original ruling is prohibition, except for what evidence has established as prescribed.
But for example, regarding Bayan, we say: do not name with it. Because Bayan is one of the names of the Qur'an, and this woman is not a Bayan. She may not even be one who clarifies, let alone be a Bayan.
Likewise, Abrar. If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) changed the name Bura to Zaynab or to Juwayriyah, then Abrar is even more deserving of being changed. Because Bura is feminine and singular, while Abrar is masculine and plural. Also, Iman is not to be used as a name. And likewise, the names of the angels. If a person wants to name with the names of the angels, we say: do not name with them. For example, naming with Jibril, Mikail, or Israfil. Yes, that is correct.
And the best thing is to return to the book "Tuhfat al-Wadud fi Ahkam al-Mawlood" by Ibn al-Qayyim. He mentioned something valuable in it. And I think Shaykh Abu Bakr wrote a treatise on this topic.
The questioner : O Shaykh, is the change obligatory?
The Shaykh : The thing that contains a legal prohibition requires it.
The questioner : Abrar?
The Shaykh : No, regarding Abrar, we say: as the Messenger changed it, change it. Yes.
The Shaykh : By Allah, the matter is as you said: it has opened up regarding names. They have moved away from the old names, and from the recent names that are close to them, to new, strange names, as you mentioned. Some of them have started naming with what is specific to the Qur'an, such as Bayan or Furqan. Some of them name with Malak or Malak. Some of them name with Abrar, and so on.
So whatever resembles what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade, or what he changed, it is forbidden and must be changed. And as for what is other than that, the original ruling is permissibility. This is because the legal principle that a student of knowledge should understand is that the original ruling for everything other than acts of worship is permissibility, whether in customs, benefits, or otherwise. The original ruling for them is permissibility, except for what evidence has established as forbidden. As for acts of worship, the original ruling is prohibition, except for what evidence has established as prescribed.
But for example, regarding Bayan, we say: do not name with it. Because Bayan is one of the names of the Qur'an, and this woman is not a Bayan. She may not even be one who clarifies, let alone be a Bayan.
Likewise, Abrar. If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) changed the name Bura to Zaynab or to Juwayriyah, then Abrar is even more deserving of being changed. Because Bura is feminine and singular, while Abrar is masculine and plural. Also, Iman is not to be used as a name. And likewise, the names of the angels. If a person wants to name with the names of the angels, we say: do not name with them. For example, naming with Jibril, Mikail, or Israfil. Yes, that is correct.
And the best thing is to return to the book "Tuhfat al-Wadud fi Ahkam al-Mawlood" by Ibn al-Qayyim. He mentioned something valuable in it. And I think Shaykh Abu Bakr wrote a treatise on this topic.
The questioner : O Shaykh, is the change obligatory?
The Shaykh : The thing that contains a legal prohibition requires it.
The questioner : Abrar?
The Shaykh : No, regarding Abrar, we say: as the Messenger changed it, change it. Yes.