A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ Is it obligatory for a person to change name after converting to Islam? ”   No, it is not.   Any name that has a good meaning is a “Muslim” name.   There is no reason to have an Arab, or Pakistani or the name of a supposedly Muslim ethnicity.   However, for various reasons, it may be encouraged to have definitive, identifiable Muslim name.   It is preferable for the convert to not replace his name but to add an alias.   For legal reasons, having an entirely new name might necessitate the changing of a lot of documents which is expensive and a hassle.   Also, becoming a Muslim does not mean abandoning our heritage.   We are changing our faith, not our culture or our ethnicity.   It is highly encouraged to keep the family name for genealogical reasons.   Having a recognisable Muslim name helps in instances such as the claiming of a body for...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   Shaykh ‘Utsman Nuri Tufbas wrote, in “The Prophet Muhammad Muswthafa the Elect ( s.a.w. )”, the heavily debated marriage of the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) to Sayyidatina Zaynab bint Jahsh ( r.a. ) is in fact laden with profound wisdom.   In the first place, as half-hearted as she was, by arranging the marriage between Sayyidatina Zaynab ( r.a. ), the daughter of his aunt, to Sayyidina Zayd ibn Harits ( r.a. ), his emancipated slave, the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) helped eradicate some mistaken notions prevalent among Arabs, and through persons closest to him, set an example of putting an end to the discrimination between the rich and the poor, the noble and the slave, sending a message out that all were equal in the Sight of Allah ( s.w.t. ), like the teeth of a comb.   Yet, the reluctance of Sayyidatina Zaynab ( r.a. ), as well as the persistent pressure of her relatives, meant that the marriage became unbearable for both parties.   Altho...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is a fatwa by Shaykh Nur ad-Din Abu ‘Ubadah ‘Ali ibn Juma’ah.   It is legally impermissible in shari’ah to give the adopted child the full name of the foster family which would be reflected in the legal rights that the adopted child will share with the adoptive family.   Allah ( s.w.t. ) Says in the Qur’an:   سُوۡرَةُ الاٴحزَاب ٱدۡعُوهُمۡ لِأَبَآٮِٕهِمۡ هُوَ أَقۡسَطُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ فَإِن لَّمۡ تَعۡلَمُوٓاْ ءَابَآءَهُمۡ فَإِخۡوَٲنُڪُمۡ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَمَوَٲلِيكُمۡ‌ۚ ... (٥)   Call them by (the names) of their fathers: that is more just in the Sight of Allah but if you know not their father’s (names, call them), your brothers in faith, or your mawali ... (Surah al-Ahzab:5)   It is also well known that the noble companion, Sayyidina Zayd ibn Harits ( r.a. ) was previously known as Zayd ibn Muhammad as he was adopted by Prophet Muhammad ( s.a.w. ) who treated him like his own child and attributed his...