By Asma bint Shameem
1. A child should be given a good name from the names of Muslims
- the *best* of names are those that include “Abd” and added to one of the Names of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala
For example:
The best names are:
Abdullaah or Abdur Rahmaan
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“The most beloved of names to Allaah are ‘Abd-Allaah and ‘Abd al-Rahmaan.”
[Saheeh Muslim 1398)]
Or we can use the word Abd with other Names of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala.
Other good names include the names of Prophets, the Sahaabah and other righteous people.
Besides these, ANY good Islaamic names that have good meanings may be given.
2. Names of Angels?
As for naming your child with one of the names of the angels, there’s a difference of opinion among the scholars about that.
Some of the scholars said that it is makrooh or disliked.
And some of them said there’s nothing wrong with that.
Ibn ul-Qayyim said:
“... and among them are the names of the angels such as Jibraa'eel and Meekaa'eel and Israafeel, it is makrooh to name human beings with these names.
Ash'had said:
“Imam Maalik was asked regarding naming someone the name Jibreel he abhorred it and it didn't please him;”
Judge 'ayaad said: "... and others allowed it."
Abdul-Razzak said in al-Jaami' via Ma'mar:
"I said to Hammaad ibn Abi Sulaiman what would you say regarding a man whose name is Jibreel or Mikaa'eel, and he responded,
'There is no objection.' (laa ba's bi-hi)"
(Tuhfat il-Mawdood fi Ahkaam il-Mawlood)
Ibn Katheer said:
“The meaning of Jibreel is Abdullaah and likewise Mikaa'eel.” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, aayaat 97-98/Surat il-Baqarah)
The better option would be to avoid naming your child with the names of Angels if you want to be on the safe side.
3. Makrooh or disliked names
It is makrooh or disliked to name your child after immoral people or names that have provocative meanings, etc
4. Self-praising names
Similarly it is makrooh to name your child names that are names of
“self-righteousness” and “too much praise”.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam *discouraged* the use of such names.
For example:
Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn ‘Ata’ said:
“I called my daughter Barrah, but Zaynab bint Abi Salamah told me that the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam had forbidden this name.
(She said) I was given this name, but the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
“Do not praise yourselves, for Allaah knows best who among you is righteous.”
They said:
What should we call her?
He said: “Call her Zaynab.”
[Saheeh Muslim (2142)]
And Samurah ibn Jundub radhi Allaahu anhu said:
The Messenger of Allaah radhi Allaahu anhu forbade us to give our slaves four names: Aflah (prosperous), Rabaah (profit), Yasaar (wealth) and Naafi‘ (beneficial).”
(Saheeh Muslim 2136)
Imaam Al-Nawawi said:
“What these hadeeths mean is that bad or disliked names should be changed to good ones and there are hadeeths which prove that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam
changed the names of many of the Sahaabah, and he explained the reason in two cases:
where it has to do with the meaning, and where it implies self praise or the fear that the name may be used in a wrong context.”
(Sharh Muslim)
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:
“With regard to Bayaan, I do not think that this should be given as a name.
The same applies to the name Imaan (meaning faith), because it has an element of self-praise.
The same applies to the name Abraar (meaning righteous).”
(Liqaa’aat al-Baab al-Maftooh, no. 16/question no. 26)
5. When to name the baby?
It’s recommended to name the baby on the seventh day when he/she should also have the Aqeeqah done and his head shaved.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said;
“Every child is in pledge for his ‘aqeeqah, which should be slaughtered on his behalf on the seventh day, when he should be named and his head shaved.”
(al-Tirmidhi, 1522; Abu Dawood, 3838; saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 1165)
But if the baby is named earlier or later than that, then that’s also permissible.
Someone asked Shaykh Abdul-Muhsin Al-Abbaad:
“The one who slaughters the animal for the Aqeeqah before the seventh day, does it count for him?”
The Shaykh said:
“What is apparent is that it counts for him because slaughtering on the seventh day is not obligatory, but only recommended”.
[Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood no. 334]
And the scholars also said:
“If the child is named or the ‘aqeeqah slaughtered on a day other than the seventh, there is nothing wrong with that, or with slaughtering the ‘aqeeqah on one day and shaving the child’s head on a different day.”
(Islamqa Fatwa # 20646)
And Allaah knows best
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