Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

i have married a hindu girl is it necessary to change her name to a muslim name i have changed her name at the time of nikha, as i was forced by the kazi can i now change her name to some other name

thnx

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Answer:

Change name of Hindu girl

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: i have married a hindu girl is it necessary to change her name to a muslim name.

Dear and Beloved Brother in Islam, we assume you have married a muslim girl, who used to follow the hindu religion before she reverted to Islam.

If the original name of the girl does not have any implication of ‘shirk’ (Sita, Saraswati, Laxmi, or Devdasi, Aarti, etc.) or the name does not have an evil meaning; there is absolutely no need to change the name of a person who reverts to Islam, nor is it considered necessary in Islam to give them a ‘muslim’ name. The majority of the noble companions of the Messenger of Allah (saws) who converted from their pagan religions to Islam kept and were recognized by their original names. Only some of the companions whose names implied the abomination of ‘shirk’, or had evil meanings were changed by the Messenger of Allah (saws). Thus it is not necessary at all for a person who reverts to Islam to undergo a name change, unless their names imply ‘shirk’ or have an evil meaning.

Your Question: i have changed her name at the time of nikha, as i was forced by the kazi can i now change her name to some other name

If one is not happy with one’s given name, there is absolutely no harm if one wishes to change it. But one should be careful in changing names, as a name is from amongst the recognitions of a person; and it does not behove a believer to make a jest of someone’s recognition by changing their names very often without valid reason.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan