FatwaFederal TerritoriesEthics, Remembrance & Supplication
AL-KAFI #946: HUKUM MENAMAKAN ANAK DENGAN NAMA SELAIN ARAB
What is the ruling on giving a child a non-Arab name such as Richard, Bunga, Kuntum, Cheng Ho or Ramasamy?
Short answer
Giving a child a non-Arab name is permissible as long as the name carries no meaning of shirk and contains no arrogance, pride or ugliness.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Ethics, Remembrance & Supplication
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Giving a child a non-Arab name is permissible as long as the name carries no meaning of shirk and contains no arrogance, pride or ugliness. This is the view of most jurists, although names expressing servitude to Allah or praiseworthy meanings are preferred. The fatwa cites Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who states that jurists do not forbid non-Arab names with good meanings. It also advises choosing a good name that carries a prayer, is distinguishable from non-Muslim names, and keeps the use of bin or binti.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Berdasarkan persoalan di atas, selama mana nama tidak diertikan dengan sebarang bentuk syirik atau seperti yang dinyatakan di atas, maka hukumnya adalah dibolehkan.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #946: HUKUM MENAMAKAN ANAK DENGAN NAMA SELAIN ARAB”, 9 December 2018. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/2853-al-kafi-946-hukum-menamakan-anak-dengan-nama-selain-arab. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-naming-child-non-arab-name/