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:

My name is N i hv lots of problems. someone once told me tht since hazrat ayesha`s life was full of sacrifice so anyone with tht name has to go through it. n lots of ppl say tht i shld change my name. plz tell me wht to do

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Name change

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.

Firstly, my beloved sister in Islam, ‘Ayesha’ literally means living, well-off or prosperous and is indeed a beautiful name, and the name of the chaste and noble wife of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

To believe in any sort of superstition that some name, or some object, or some thing can bring about an evil omen, or sickness, or some trial or tribulation, etc. is against the principles and philosophy of Islamic ‘Aqeedah’ or belief.

Both good and bad conditions are from Allah Subhanah, Who tests His slaves to see who does what in the conditions ordained by Allah!

Allah says in the Holy Quran in Chapter 67 Surah Al Mulk verse 2: He (Allah) created death and life that He may test you, to see which of you is the best in deeds.

If one is blessed with good from the Merciful Lord, then his test is whether he is grateful for the favors from the Lord or not; and when one is tested by the All Wise Lord with some trials and tribulations, his test is whether or not he is patient in the condition laid upon him by the Lord All Mighty.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 155-157:

155 Be sure We shall test you with something of fear, and hunger, some loss in goods or lives, or the fruits (of your toil); but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere.

156 Who say when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah we belong and to Him is our return."

157 They are those on whom (descend) blessings from Allah and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance.

Abu Hurairah reports that Allah's Messenger (saws) said: "For every misfortune, illness, anxiety, grief, or hurt that afflicts a Muslim -even the hurt caused by the pricking of a thorn - Allah removes some of his sins."

Ibn Mas'ud said: "I visited the Messenger of Allah (saws) while he had a fever. I exclaimed: 'O Messenger of Allah (saws)! You have a high fever!' He (saws) said: 'My fever is as much as two among you [might have].' I asked: 'Is it because you have a double reward?' He (saws) replied: 'Yes, that is right. No Muslim is afflicted with any hurt, even if it is no more than the pricking of a thorn, but Allah wipes off his sins because of it, and his sins fall away from him as leaves fall from a tree'."

Beloved sister in Islam, there is absolutely nothing wrong with your name; nor does your name or anything else in this Universe have to do with your condition! Yours and ours and the condition of every animate and inanimate object in the Universe is at the Sole Discretion of the All Mighty, All Powerful Lord, and He Alone has Power over all things!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 35 Surah Faatir verse 2: What Allah out of His Mercy doth bestow on mankind, there is none can withhold: what He doth withhold, there is none can grant apart from Him: and He is the Exalted in Power, Full of Wisdom.

Thus my beloved sister, fear none and keep your hopes on none but Allah Subhanah. If He Wills to help you, none can withhold His Mercy and Grace; and if He Wills to test you with some trial and tribulation, none except He can remove that tribulation. So keep your faith and hopes constant in Him Alone, and be constant in your supplications to Him Alone.

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