How to Name Your Muslim Child

Although it's still early for me, I don't think it's a bad idea for me to start thinking about naming my child. As for me, my religious teaching requires me to look for meaningful names, good names with good meaning as some believed that whatever name that you chooses for you children, it will somehow impact their future life and I believe this is also true for other religions too. Choosing a good and meaningful name is very important as a name is like a prayer, every single day people will be calling your name. Just imagine that you (without proper knowledge) named your child with a bad name, for example something that relates to stubbornness or stupid, people will be calling your child's name time and time and it will act like a prayer or wish and you won't want that for your kids right? So how exactly you should name your child? I will share today some of the tips i get to name your Muslim child and also bad way to name your child.

Recommended Way To Name You Child

1. Named after the Prophets like Muhammad, Isa, Ibrahim, Nuh, Yaakob, etc.

2. Name taken from Asma 'ul Husna (99 names of Allah) - Prophet Muhammad S.A.W has once told that Abdul Rahman (Slave of the Generous; Compassionate; Beneficent) and Abdullah (Slave of Allah) are the names that Allah loves most. I should also point out that in order to use one of the names of Allah, you must put 'Abdul' (meaning 'slave of') in front of it and you can't use 'Abdul' with other names except for the 99 names of Allah.

3. Named after the Prophet's close friends - Name such as Abu Bakar, Umar, Uthman, Ali, Saad, Zubair and others are also a good choice for a baby name. They are known as good friends of the Prophets, good leaders, good thinkers, good noble people.

Forbidden Way To Name Your Child

1. Bad and degrading such as Sariq (Thieves), Ashiah ( those who are immoral), Kilab (Dogs), Jahil (Stupid).

2. Specially for Allah only like Ahad (the only One).

3. Didn't have any useful meaning such as Malikul Amlak ( Kings of all kings), Aflah (Prosperous), Yasar (Left-wing - in political term) as prohibited by Prophet Muhammad S.A.W with his saying:

"Do not call your boy Yasar, nor Rabah, nor Najeeh, nor Aflah, since you will say: Is he there?' So it will be said: 'No'. Indeed they are four, so do not attribute more to me." (Reported by Muslim, Abu Dawud & At-Tirmidhee)

4. Anything with 'Abdul' (Slave of) with other attributes other than Allah's 99 names like Abdul Uzza (Uzza's Slave), Abdul Kaabah (Kaabah's Slave), Abdul Fulus (Money Slave).

Recommended and Forbidden names information is taken from 'Indahnya Hidup Bersyariat by Dato' Ismail Kamus' book given by my uncle. It's a good book and I recommend those of you in Malaysia to get it.