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:

why cant we keep the name burakh the mule or horse which had taken prophet to allahas house can u please ans me

(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:

Keep name burak

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

It is absolutely permissible for the believers to assign or keep any name in any language of their choice, provided the name does not connote ‘shirk’ or disbelief (Abdul-Laat, Abdul-Uzza, Ramdas, etc.), or the name itself does not have an inherent evil meaning (like ‘Kalb’ (dog), or ‘Mujrim’ (convict), or ‘Kaddab’ (liar), etc.).

To the best of our knowledge, there is absolutely no evidence in the Quran or the authentic and established Sunnah which prohibits or forbids the believers from assigning or keeping the name ‘Buraq’ (the name of the horse-like animal which was the vehicle of the Prophet (saws) on the blessed Night Journey), if that is indeed what they wish to do.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan