Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah

Is it permissible to change one’s surname?

· 6 Rabiʻ I 1440 AH1 min readFatwa 41430English

Question

Assalamu Alaykum brother,

I have a surname whose origin is associated with a polytheistic god, which i despise. I wish to change it to an Islamic name. Will that be permissible?

Jazakallah brother

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

We commend you on your sensitivity to change your surname to an Islamic name.

If you feel your surname is associated with a polytheistic god, then you should change your surname. [1]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Muhammad I.V Patel

Student Darul Iftaa
Lusaka, Zambia

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

[1]المحيط البرهاني (5/ 89)

وفي «الفتاوى»: التسمية باسم لم يذكره الله تعالى في كتابه ولا ذكره رسول الله عليه السلام، ولا استعمله المسلمون تكلموا فيه، والأولى أن لا تفعل

نفع المفتي والسائل بجمع متفرقات المسائل (ص: 377)

??(الاسْتِفْسَارُ: تسميةُ الأولادِ بما لم يذكرْ في كتابِ الله ، ولا في سنَّةِ رسول الله، وما سبقَهُ المسلمون، هل يجوز؟

الاسْتِبْشَارُ: تكلَّموا فيه: والأَوْلَى أن لا يفعلَ ذلك . كذا في ((نصاب الاحتساب)) في (الباب الخامس والأربعين)

Answered by
Muhammad I.V Patel
Checked & approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
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Source: Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah — https://askimam.org/public/question_detail/41430
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/askimam-41430

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