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Changing your name
In order to give you an indication regarding
the circumstances under which one should change their name, we
have given details below of incidences where early muslims
changed their names.
- Sayyidah Ayshah (R.A.) said that the
Prophet (S.A.W) used to replace bad names with good ones (Tirmizi).
- Sayyidah Zaynab was named Barrah, meaning
piety and goodness. Other Muslims remarked that she praised
herself in this way. So; the Prophet (S.A.W.) changed her
name to Zaynab. (Narrated by Abu Hurarah, Bukhari).
- Sayyidah Juwatriah (R.A) was also Barrah
in the beginning. The Prophet (R.A.) changed it to Juwayriah.
He did not like the people remarking that they has lost
piety, so he replaced the name (Ibn Abbas, Muslim).
- A man was named Asram which means to cut
or to sever. The Prophet (S.A.W.) asked him his name and
when he disclosed that it was Asram, the Prophet (S.A.W.)
exclaimed. "No! No. you are Durraa!" It means one who
cultivates'. (Basheer Ibn Maymoon, Abu Dawood).
- A companion disclosed that his tribesmen
called him Abu al-Hakam which means one who dispenses
justice, although his name was Haani. The Prophet (S.A.W.),
when he learnt of it, summoned him and told him that only
Allah was the one to give justice and issue commands. He
asked him why he was called Abu al-Hakam and he revealed
that he judged among his people who came to him with their
disputes. His people abided by his judegment and decision.
The Prophet (S.A.W.) told him that he was doing a great
thing and asked if he had any children. When he said that he
had three sons, Shurayh, Muslim, Abdullah, the Prophet asked
him to name the eldest son and he said Shurayh was the
eldest. Thereafter, the Prophet (S.A.W.) told him, "You will
now be called Abu Shurayh." (Nasa'i)
- Once Musayyib (R.A.) visited the Prophet
(S.A.W.) and he asked him what his name was. He said, "I am
Musanin (hard earth)." The Prophet (S.A.W.) said "No! You
are Sahl (Soft Earth)" (Bukhari).
- The Prophet (S.A.W.) replaced the names
Aasi (sinner), Adlam (desolate hard), Shaytan (evil),
Shahha'b (a meteor), Ghurab (crow) and such others. He
replaces Shahhab with Hisham, Harb (war) with Hasan or
Husayn, Sha'b al-Dalalah (valley of erring path) with Sha'b
al-Huda (the valley of the right path), Banu Gayaan with
Banu Rushad. (Abu Dawood has narrated many such cases).
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