The ruling on one who has been given a forbidden name, such as 'Abd al-Husayn or 'Abd al-Nabi
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Question:
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Aziz, if a person has a name and it is discovered that it is not a legitimate name, what is your guidance? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
It is obligatory to change it. For example, if he named himself 'Abd al-Husayn, 'Abd al-Nabi, or 'Abd al-Ka'bah, and then he learns that servitude is not permissible for anyone except Allah, and that no one should be worshipped except Allah the Exalted: 'Abd Allah, 'Abd al-Rahman, 'Abd al-Malik, 'Abd al-Qadir are fine. He should change this name; he has to change it. He changes the name 'Abd al-Husayn, 'Abd al-Nabi, or 'Abd al-Ka'bah, or something similar, to 'Abd Allah, 'Abd al-Rahman, or to Muhammad, Ahmad, Salih, or something similar from the legitimate names. This is the obligation. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) changed many names.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. If the name belongs to the father, what is to be done, Shaykh 'Abd al-'Aziz?
The Shaykh: If the father is alive, he is informed. And if he has died, there is no way to do it.
The presenter: There is no way to do it?
The Shaykh: Yes, ...
The presenter: Does it remain as it is?
The Shaykh: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not change the name 'Abd al-Muttalib, nor did he change the names of the others from the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance who had died, such as 'Abd al-Muttalib, 'Abd Manah, and 'Abd al-Ka'bah. He did not change their names. Yes; because they were known by them.
The presenter: Known by them?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Aziz, if a person has a name and it is discovered that it is not a legitimate name, what is your guidance? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
It is obligatory to change it. For example, if he named himself 'Abd al-Husayn, 'Abd al-Nabi, or 'Abd al-Ka'bah, and then he learns that servitude is not permissible for anyone except Allah, and that no one should be worshipped except Allah the Exalted: 'Abd Allah, 'Abd al-Rahman, 'Abd al-Malik, 'Abd al-Qadir are fine. He should change this name; he has to change it. He changes the name 'Abd al-Husayn, 'Abd al-Nabi, or 'Abd al-Ka'bah, or something similar, to 'Abd Allah, 'Abd al-Rahman, or to Muhammad, Ahmad, Salih, or something similar from the legitimate names. This is the obligation. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) changed many names.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. If the name belongs to the father, what is to be done, Shaykh 'Abd al-'Aziz?
The Shaykh: If the father is alive, he is informed. And if he has died, there is no way to do it.
The presenter: There is no way to do it?
The Shaykh: Yes, ...
The presenter: Does it remain as it is?
The Shaykh: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not change the name 'Abd al-Muttalib, nor did he change the names of the others from the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance who had died, such as 'Abd al-Muttalib, 'Abd Manah, and 'Abd al-Ka'bah. He did not change their names. Yes; because they were known by them.
The presenter: Known by them?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.