Sayed Mahmood Shah

Islam places no restriction on parents discussing, shortlisting, or even deciding a name during pregnancy — in fact, this is a practical and sensible approach that allows time to research the meaning, spelling, and pronunciation properly, and to consult family or a scholar if needed. What the Sunnah specifically addresses is the timing of the … Read more

There is no requirement in Islam that a name must be Arabic. The core principle from the Sunnah is about meaning, not linguistic origin — a name should be free of shirk (associating partners with Allah), immoral connotations, or arrogance. This is why Muslim communities across the world — Persian, Turkish, South Asian, African, and … Read more

Classical fiqh generally assigns the father final say in naming, viewing it as part of his responsibility as head of household. However, this is not meant to exclude the mother — the Quran (2:233 and elsewhere) and the Sunnah repeatedly emphasize shura (mutual consultation) between spouses in matters concerning their children. In practice, many scholars … Read more

Islamic tradition offers two authentic options for naming a newborn. Several hadith show the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) naming a child on the day of birth, as he did with his son Ibrahim. Other hadith, notably from Sunan Abi Dawood and Sunan an-Nasa’i, describe naming on the seventh day, combined with the Aqiqah … Read more

In Islam, naming a child is considered one of the earliest and most important acts of tarbiyah (upbringing). The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that on the Day of Judgment, people will be called by their own names and the names of their fathers, so parents are encouraged to choose good names (Sunan … Read more