The scholars of Islām agree that everyone must have a name. Ibn Ḥazm (d. 456 AH) (رحمه الله) mentioned: “The scholars agree that every man and woman must have a name.”1 However, Islamic law may require some people to change their names. In fact, Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) himself changed many people’s name. He even changed the names of some places.
Sahl (رحمه الله) narrated:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Where is the baby?” Abū Usayd (رضي الله عنه) replied: “We sent him home.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “What is his name?” Abū Usayd (رضي الله عنه) said: “So and so [is his name].” The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “…
Imām Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn [d. 1421 AH] said [concerning the issue of using vessels made from gold and silver]:
What is correct in this issue is that utilising such vessels for things other than eating and drinking is not ḥarām. This is because the Prophet (ﷺ) forbade a specific usage which is confined to the utilisation of such vessels for eating and drinking. If other than it was ḥarām, the Prophet (ﷺ) being from among the most eloquent of mankind and the most transparent [in speech] would have alluded to [the prohibitory nature of these other usages] without specifying certain a…
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH) said:
“The Christians say: ‘God is One, the Creator is One, the Sustainer is One.’
This [phrase] is true in and of itself except that the Christians contradict this in the words of their own creed: ‘We believe in one God; Jesus the Messiah, the only son of God. The true God from the true God. Made from the essence of his Father, equal to Him in essence.’
Here, the Christians have confirmed the existence of two gods followed by the Holy Spirit as a third by claiming that they prostrate before him. Thus, they confirm three [different] gods.
They th…
Imām Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ Al-ʿUthaymīn [d. 1412 AH] said:
As for the vessels used by the disbelievers, they are permissible [for us]. If someone was to say to us: What is the evidence?
We reply: The general [meaning] of the saying of the Most High:
هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ﴿٢٩﴾
‘It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth.’
[Al-Baqarah, 2:29]
If Allāh has already made the food of the People of the Book [Jews and Christians] permissible for us, then it is well-known that sometimes they will bring it to us cooked in their vessels. Also, it is co…
Most married women replace their last names which are called their maiden names with their husbands’ last names. A few women, however, may attach their maiden names to their husbands’ last names to form a compound last name. Although this is a common practice in the Western Hemisphere, a Muslim woman must not modify her name after marriage. From the numerous reasons for this is the following:
1.
[A] Allāh’s statement:
ادْعُوهُمْ لِآبَائِهِمْ هُوَ أَقْسَطُ عِندَ اللَّهِ
“Call them after their fathers. This is more just before Allāh.”
[Al-Aḥzāb, 33:5]
[B] Allāh’s statement:
وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَتَ…
