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Changing name upon conversion?

Printed From: IslamiCity.com
Category: Culture & Community
Forum Name: Groups – New Muslims
Forum Discription: Groups – New Muslims
URL: http://www.IslamiCity.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=20212
Printed Date: 22 May 2013 at 5:17am


Topic: Changing name upon conversion?
Posted By: BetsyAnn
Subject: Changing name upon conversion?
Date Posted: 25 April 2011 at 4:10pm
Salaam,

I'm a very recent convert to Islam and I know some people change their names upon conversion. I read that changing one's last name is discouraged because we should be called by the name of our father.

I am married and had changed my last name to my husband's. He is devoutly Christian and strongly Islamophobic (and I will likely end up separated and homeless when I tell him of my conversion, but that's a topic for another post). Do I need to change my name back to my father's to stay in keeping with Islam?

I know my Lutheran parents will not accept my embrace of Islam. I love them dearly, but I would actually very much like to change my name in order to reflect my commitment to Allah. I guess it would be powerfully symbolic for me. Like a fresh start.

To further complicate matters, I was adopted, so my maiden name was that of my adoptive father. I do not know my biological father's name or anything about him. My adoptive father has always been my dad in my eyes, of course, but does his being adoptive instead of biological make it okay for me to change my name?

Sorry if this is confusing. I just want to do the right thing and honor Allah. And I have sooo much to learn and am very much alone right now so I appreciate this forum.

Thanks.

Peace,

Lori (aka Betsy Ann)


Replies:
Posted By: semar
Date Posted: 25 April 2011 at 11:09pm

Salam/Peace,

Welcome to ICforuma and welcome to Islam. May Allah guide, bless and make things easy for you all the time.
 
You don't have to have a muslim name (perhaps the correct term is arabic name) to be a good muslim. As long as the meaning of the name is not bad/offensive etc will be OK.
 
 
 


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Salam/Peace,
Semar
The Prophet said: "Do not eat before you are hungry, and stop eating before you are full"
"1/3 of your stomach for food 1/3 for water, 1/3 for air"

Posted By: BetsyAnn
Date Posted: 26 April 2011 at 8:12am
thanks for your response. I guess my question is: is it *permissable*?

I actually want to change my name but I read somewhere that we are to keep the surname of our father. Does that only apply to biological father or also to adoptive father? If it's only biological, I don't know what his name was.

Thanks.

Posted By: semar
Date Posted: 26 April 2011 at 11:24pm
As far as I know, in Islam you can chose whatever name you want as long as the meaning is good, you don't have to carry any-body's name including parent.
 
However in Arabic culture, people used to add his father name to his name using connection word bin/ibn (for male, means son) and "binti" (for female means daughter) the such as Muhammad bin Abdullah, Aishah binti Abubakr. Again this is Arabic culture not part of core  Islamic teaching.


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Salam/Peace,
Semar
The Prophet said: "Do not eat before you are hungry, and stop eating before you are full"
"1/3 of your stomach for food 1/3 for water, 1/3 for air"


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