Issues
and Questions
Islamic Names for New
Muslims, Mother’s Inheritance
By Dr Muzammil
H. Siddiqi
March
18, 2005
Q 1. As a recent convert to
Islam. I’m totally confused about my Christian
name. Bilal Philips keeps his father’s last
name. Some African Americans keep their first names
given to them by their mothers. Myself, I have chosen
Samir (friendly companion) for a first name. What
does the Qur’an and Hadith say on this subject?
A 1. Congratulations on your acceptance
of Islam. Islam emphasizes that Muslims should have
good names and should give good names to their children.
It is reported in a Hadith that the Prophet - peace
be upon him - said, “You will be called on
the Day of Resurrection by your names and the names
of your fathers, so have good names.” (Sunan
Abu Da’ud, Hadith 4297)
During the time of the Prophet - peace be upon him
- when people used to accept Islam, he would not
require all people to change their names. He used
to change only those names that carried wrong meanings
or un-Islamic ideas and concepts. The Prophet’s
wife ‘A’ishah - may Allah be pleased
with her - said about the Prophet, “He used
to change bad names.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi,
Hadith no. 2765) ‘Umar had a daughter whose
name was ‘Asiyah (meaning Tough or Hard).
The Prophet changed her name to Jamilah (the Beautiful,
see Sunan Abu Da’ud, Hadith no. 4301) Abu
Da’ud has mentioned many names of people and
places that the Prophet - peace be upon him - changed
because they had bad meanings. (See Hadith no. 4305)
Imam Bukhari mentioned that Sa’id bin al-Musayyib
said that his grandfather came to the Prophet -
peace be upon him. The Prophet asked him his name.
He said, “Hazn” (meaning Hard). The
Prophet said, “You are Sahl.” (meaning
Soft, Easy). The man said, “I do not want
to change the name that my father gave me.”
His grandson Sa’id used to regret and say
afterwards that we still experience the hardness
in our family. (See al-Bukhari, Hadith no. 5722).
One can only change one’s own name. One cannot
change the family name or name of one’s parents,
unless they are alive and accept the change. So
the new Muslims should change their first names,
if they contain wrong or bad meanings. As far as
their last names are concerned they should not change
last names, because it is also forbidden in Islam
to take the name of someone other than one’s
own biological father. Allah says in the Qur’an,
“Proclaim their real parentage. That will
be more equitable in the sight of Allah. And if
you do not know their fathers, then they are your
brothers in the faith…” (Al-Ahzab 33:5)
Q 2. I need to find out about
the subject matter for my mother’s items.
When my father is still alive does he become the
natural owner of everything my mother owned, or
is there supposed to be an Islamic distribution
of my mother’s items. If there is to be a
distribution what are the ratios? My father is there
and four sisters and myself. I thought that as long
as my father is alive I don’t have to bother
about distribution, please advise. I would also
like to know about Zakat, where did the 2.5% figure
come from? In the Hadith there is a mention of silver
being zakatable at this rate, but does that apply
to everything, or is there a mention about this
somewhere in the Qur’an?
A 2. After the death of a person,
it is important that his/her property is distributed
according to the Islamic law of inheritance. Whatever
your mother left, you should distribute it as soon
as possible. In your case the share of your father
will be 25% of all your mother’s possessions.
The balance should be divided between you and your
sisters. Your share will be 25% and your sisters
should receive 12.5% each.
The Nisab of Zakat, i.e. the minimum amount that
makes the wealth Zakatable as well as the rate of
Zakat was fixed by the Prophet - peace be upon him.
Just as the Prophet fixed the rak’at of prayers
and gave us other details about Salah, in a similar
way he also told us about the Zakat. It is very
important that we follow the guidance of the Prophet
in this matter. Just as you cannot change the Rak’at
of the prayers for each prayer, you cannot change
the ratio of Zakat also. It is obligatory to give
Zakat in gold and silver and also in cash money
at the rate of 2.5%. It is reported that the Prophet
- peace be upon him - used to tell the people to
give one dinar from every forty dinar. (See Abu
Da’ud, Hadith no. 1342; Ibn Majah, Hadith
no. 1781, etc.)
Q 3. Are we allowed to hold
wedding ceremony or other parties during the month
of Muharram? We are told that the month of Muharram
is for grief and sadness and it is not right to
hold any ceremonies or parties in this month.
A 3. The day of ‘Ashura is
certainly a sad day in the history of Islam. It
was on this day that the grandson of the Prophet
Syedna Husain - may Allah be pleased with him -
and many members of his family were brutally massacred
in Karbala on the 10th day of Muharram in the year
61 of Hijrah or 680 of the common era. It is important
to remember those tragic events and to take lessons
from them. It is also the Sunnah of the Prophet
- peace be upon him - to fast on the 9th and 10th
days of Muharram. The Prophet did fast on this day
remembering Allah’s deliverance of Prophet
Musa - peace be upon him - and his followers from
the persecution and oppression under the Pharaoh
of Egypt.
However, beside fasting and remembering the tragic
events of Syedna Husain’s martyrdom, there
is no other mourning required on these days. There
is nothing wrong in holding wedding ceremonies or
any other programs on this day or in the month of
Muharram as such. All days belong to Allah and Muslims
should not take any superstitions from any months
or days.
Q 4. I have
read several Ahadith that Aqiqah for a newborn is
preferable on the 7th day after his or her birth.
My parents are in Pakistan and they want to perform
the Aqiqah, when the baby visits them in Pakistan.
What is the ruling on this issue?
A 4. ‘Aqeeqah is a Sunnah.
The Prophet - peace be upon him - told us to do
the ‘Aqeeqah on the 7th day after the birth
of the child. (See Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith no. 3156)
However, according to most of the jurists it is
not required to hold it on the 7th day. It can be
done, according to convenience, any time after the
7th day.
Q 5. Is it
allowed in Islam to marry a woman with the condition
that the husband would not have any financial obligations?
A 5. The marriage will be valid,
but the condition is not valid. After the marriage,
if the wife wants she can demand the husband to
pay her expenses and the Islamic court can oblige
him to do so, or will separate them. According to
the Shari’ah, it is the duty of the husband
to provide for his wife’s well being.
- DrSiddiqi@aol.com
