Question on shahada and name change

[Raaina]

:sl:

I have a question.

When I took my Shahada, I said I didn't want to change my name, but they said oh well pick one incase you change your mind later, so I did.

I did my shahada at the same time as my Nikah, but my Nikah is in my "non-muslim" name.

So, even if my shahada says i've changed my name to "A muslim name" do I have to use this one now or can I choose to use either?

I'm worried that i've changed my name and I didn't want to. :hmm:

[zakirs]

Although not exactly the same , this might help

I was given the name Tyrone Anthony Parker at birth by my non-muslims parents. After taking shahada, I changed my name to Bilaal Faaruwq Abdus-Salaam. I have recently found out that I shouldn't have left my family name and I plan on returning to it. If my parents tell me to return to my given name (Tyrone-has pagan origins ; Anthony-means flourishing) do I have to do it?


Praise be to Allaah.

For the one whom Allaah has guided to Islam, it is sufficient for him to choose an Islamic first name for himself and to keep his father’s name or surname, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not command the Sahaabah to change their fathers’ and grandfathers’ names when they embraced Islam. However, he did change the first names of those who had names with forbidden or undesirable meanings. Because your first name has pagan origins, your changing it to another name, such as Bilaal, is proper and correct. But you should keep the rest of your name and surname as it is; this will please your parents. May Allah guide them, and may He give us and you strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

[Esther462]

I didn't change my name either when I said my Shahahda because my name is the name of the wife of a phophet in the new testement, cousin of Mary.
2 years on I'm still trying to deside on changing my name but I'm going to keep my surname. I like my Christian name but I also like an islamic name. I don't really know what to do.
My advise is if you really want to change your name, keep your surname as that will keep the link to you family.

[★мαячαн★]

yehp thats true sis :)

from what i no either way its not "bad" or anything so its completely your choice, but it is sunnah to have a Muslim name :)

And about the surname, well islamically your not meant to ever drop your surname (fathers name) as that is sinful from what i found out recently. If i'm wrong then maybe someone can correct me, but i was informed that is why when you get married, you still hold onto your surname. And the point about breaking the link to your family is also very true :)

I can't really say much on the matter of your name change at the nikkah issuee as i don't no much about that yet :P

Goodluck

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[glo]

I never knew you were invited to change your name at the point of saying Shahada.
Is that the usual procedure?

Can anybody explain the reason behind it?
(Mods, please let me know if I should start a new thread for this question. Thanks.)

[cat eyes]

i was delighted to change my name :p now when people call me by my old name i cringe.:enough!:;D i felt that when i changed my name then i felt like a new person like a muslim...when i had my old name muslims were wondering why i didnt change it and thought that i felt ashamed to but i am so proud to be a muslimah and have people call me by my muslim name :D

[Raaina]

I never knew you were invited to change your name at the point of saying Shahada.
Is that the usual procedure?

Can anybody explain the reason behind it?
(Mods, please let me know if I should start a new thread for this question. Thanks.)

Well I did my Shahada in Pakistan, where no one spoke english except me, my husband and the lawyer, so all the important things were translated for me. But after i'd said Shahada, they said you should pick a muslim name and you don't have to use it, but pick one, so I did. :p

But, the name on my Nikah is my non muslim name, so *shrugs* guess I can use either.

[Raaina]

i was delighted to change my name :p now when people call me by my old name i cringe.:enough!:;D i felt that when i changed my name then i felt like a new person like a muslim...when i had my old name muslims were wondering why i didnt change it and thought that i felt ashamed to but i am so proud to be a muslimah and have people call me by my muslim name :D

Thats wonderful sister :statisfie

The reason I don't use my muslim name is, my parents still don't know i've converted :skeleton:

[Cabdullahi]

i was delighted to change my name :p now when people call me by my old name i cringe.:enough!:;D i felt that when i changed my name then i felt like a new person like a muslim...when i had my old name muslims were wondering why i didnt change it and thought that i felt ashamed to but i am so proud to be a muslimah and have people call me by my muslim name :D

was the old name Margaret or Belinda


the only two names that cause cringes

[glo]

Well I did my Shahada in Pakistan, where no one spoke english except me, my husband and the lawyer, so all the important things were translated for me. But after i'd said Shahada, they said you should pick a muslim name and you don't have to use it, but pick one, so I did. :p
.

I always understood that Shahada is about making a declaration of faith.
I still don't understand how a new name is of importance in that process?

[glo]

Thats wonderful sister :statisfie

The reason I don't use my muslim name is, my parents still don't know i've converted :skeleton:

Do your parents know that you are married?

[Raaina]

Do your parents know that you are married?

Nope not yet. I have to wait for the right time imsad

[glo]

Nope not yet. I have to wait for the right time imsad

Please, please, please tell your parents, mystical moon!
Pray about it, and by all means find the right time for it - but do tell them!

I am speaking as a mother here: I cannot honestly say how happy I would be if my daughter converted to Islam - but I would be infinitely more hurt and upset if she did so secretly.
And for her to get married without telling me would break my heart!

I guess what I am saying is that your parents may not be happy with your life choices, they may even disagree strongly - but hopefully they will continue to love you, and with time they will hopefully come to accept your choices.
But they can only go through that process of acceptance, if you tell them in the first place.

(Out of interest, how old are you?)

I hope and pray that all goes well for you.

[Rafeeq]

Dear Ms. Glo,

Your concern is already answered in Zakirs' post where it was suggested to keep one's name if it is not contradicted to the teaching of Islam. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) also changed name of those Sahaba (companion) whose names were as explained.

Hence, if Sis mystical moon's previous name is complying with islamic teachings of good meaning names, hence she does not need to change her name. Whereas she doesn't require to change her surename.

I agree with you, Glo, dear Ukhti M_Moon: you should tell your parents as it will be more hurting if they come to know from some other source.

[glo]

Dear Ms. Glo,
Your concern is already answered in Zakirs' post where it was suggested to keep one's name if it is not contradicted to the teaching of Islam. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) also changed name of those Sahaba (companion) whose names were as explained.

Thank you for your reply.

My question was not relating to whether or not one should change one's name when saying Shahada.
Instead I was surprised that the issue of changing one's name should have anything to do with Shahada at all.

As far as I understood, Shahada is the declaration of one's faith as a Muslim, specifically that there is only one God and Muhammed is his final messenger.
Am I correct in thinking that's the meaning of Shahada?

My question and confusion is why and at what point of saying Shahada, would the issue of changing one's name be raised (presumably by the Imam?)?

One of the reasons I am asking is that I can imagine people wanting to say Shahada to revert to Islam.
They would come to the masjid to declare they new faith ... but I wonder how many would be prepared for the question whether they want to adopt an Islamic name ...

[Insaanah]

Hi Glo,

I can see where you're coming from.

The issue of name has nothing to do with shahadah per se. Shahadah is the declaration of faith that makes one a Muslim. Regardless of your name, having believed in the shahadah in your heart and having declared it verbally, you become a Muslim.

Most people wish to the pick a name so that they can be recognised by others as being a Muslim, or see it as a new phase in their lives, thus would like a new name to go with it. However that process is nothing to do with the shahada, but the shahada seems the best opportunity to discuss the subject, if the new Muslim so wishes to change their name.

Hope that makes it a bit clearer. :)

[glo]

^
Yes, that makes perfect sense, Insane Insaan. Thank you for your reply. :)

I had sudden visions of the Shahada going like "I declare that X ... and I will henceforth call myself Y".
I guess it isn't really like that ... :giggling:

[zakirs]

Shahada is very simple ,

Arabic text: أشهد أن لا إله إلاَّ الله و أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله

Romanization: ʾašhadu ʾan laa ilāha illa (A)llāh, wa ʾašhadu ʾanna Muḥammada(n) rasūlo (A)llāh

Meaning: "I witness that there is no God but Allah and I witness that Mohammed is his messenger."

[Esther462]

I had a choise at my shahada to change my name but I didn't for a number of reasons:
1. My name is one of the prophets wife (I can't remeber his name but I think it beigis with a Z and he's in the New Testament) and she is the cousin of Mary.
2. I didn't want my family to find out I was muslim (I did tell them 2 weeks later)
3. I really like my name and I didn't want to change it at the time.
I'm thinking changeing it now but my convertion certificate has my Christian name on it.

[UmmSqueakster]

A few years after I converted, I went to al Azhar University in Egypt to get a shahada certificate, as I had heard the saudi government asks for proof of conversion when you apply for hajj.

They didn't have a certificate reconfirming one's shahada, so we just used the certificate they use for your ordinary, run of the mill shahada. It did include a section where you change your name. I'm like, no, see, I'm muslim. My name is Jennifer. Ergo, Jennifer is a muslim name, capish? Ok, I didn't say capish, but I did go all sassy american on them ;D

Here's what it said:

Having realized that she has adopted Islam by her own free will, we have informed her of the rights and obligations of a Muslim. She has chosen a Muslim name as:

________________________________

So, what I'm understanding here is that you have a certificate that lists a "muslim" name? Or is it just something you did verbally? If it's verbal, no need to do anything other than use the name you want. If it's written, maybe see about going to a masjid in your area and getting a new shahada certificate done.

It really urks me that converts are pressured to change their names, as if it's something that's required. Aren't there more important things we should be telling newbie muslims at their shahada?

[sur]

After becoming muslim, Prophet's wife "Khatijah" remained Khatijah, Abu-Bakr remained same,,, Umar/Usman/Ali all kept their names.....

Only few names were changed by Prophet that too because their meaning was NOT good.... So if ur name has a Good meaning keep it.....



Like if a convert has a name "John", besides other meanings one meaning is "prostitute's customer"... So he better change it...

[Rabi'ya]

Woah Esther, youhave a conversion certificate. !!!! thats novel!

instead of posting here im gona start a new thread i think.

[Esther462]

Woah Esther, youhave a conversion certificate. !!!! thats novel!

instead of posting here im gona start a new thread i think.

My mosque issues them to all people who convert to Islam though them. It's called a "Declaration of The Acceptance of Islam" certificate.
It's got the 2 witness names on it and Iman has signed it too.
I've got in a frame, on my desk at home.

[Nur-ud-Dean]

Asalaamu alaikum.

I have put together some guidance on Shahadah here:
How To Become Muslim

And some guidance on name changing here:

Changing Your Name


I changed my name from "Dean" to "Nur-ud-Dean". At the time I wasn't entirely comfortable with it, but went ahead because my head overruled my heart. If I'm honest it still feels a little alien to me, but I'm glad it is recognisably a Muslim name now. There's no pressure to change it - have your name as whatever you like.

[main]

Being a Muslim one should keep in mind that the Muslims names of Muslim baby must be meaning full. Muslim of the world have their own recognition in every field of life, likewise, Muslims are recognize by their Muslims names from other nations. For Muslims it is very important to give their child a beautiful, meaningful name for muslim. The prophet (Sallallahu-alayhi-wasallam) advised parents to provide with best of the education to their children. They can start by giving kids beautiful, meaningful, Islamic name, which is full of Allah’s blessings.

Our also taught to his followers that children should be given good names. That meaningless name, those having unsavory and unpleasant connotations should be avoided. He has asked to avoid to give people bad names, we can obey our prophet by giving our children good names, which could not be abused or have bad meanings. He has said, “Keep the names of the noble Prophets, Allah loves most the names Abdullah and Abdul Rahman. The most truthful names are Harith and Humam, while the most disliked are Harb and Murrah (war and bitter)."

[AkhiMaleek]

I gave my shahada last Juma and never was told to plan on changing my name to a Muslim name. I studied Islam for 11 years while incarcerated and the Imam gave me a name based on my character even though I was not yet a Muslim but curious about the discipline of the religion. I am now a proud Muslim wondering should I choose my attribute or wait on the Sheik to assign me a Muslim name based on my character and demeanor and dedication to Islam. Any insight would be appreciated.

[wealthbuilder]

My mosque issues them to all people who convert to Islam though them. It's called a "Declaration of The Acceptance of Islam" certificate.
It's got the 2 witness names on it and Iman has signed it too.
I've got in a frame, on my desk at home.

Wow! Declaration of Acceptance of Islam. 2 Witness & Imam Sign. This is very amusing!

Allah doesn't want any certificate, witness or sign to become a Muslim. However, if it's a legal process in some states, then it should be done.

[wealthbuilder]

I gave my shahada last Juma and never was told to plan on changing my name to a Muslim name. I studied Islam for 11 years while incarcerated and the Imam gave me a name based on my character even though I was not yet a Muslim but curious about the discipline of the religion. I am now a proud Muslim wondering should I choose my attribute or wait on the Sheik to assign me a Muslim name based on my character and demeanor and dedication to Islam. Any insight would be appreciated.

:salam:

A Muslim name is not assigned based on character, demeanor, or dedication to Islam. If you have read shahada with a clear intention to be Muslim. Then you are already a Muslim. No imam has the right to judge your character or connection with Allah. So you can choose what ever name you feel is good for you.