Last Updated on 30th July 2021
During a virtual mulaqat of the national amila of Lajna Imaillah Bangladesh with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa, which was held on 14 November 2020, a member of Lajna Imaillah said, “Sometimes, after marriage, girls change their names in a way that they add their husbands’ names to their own names. Is it permissible to do so according to the Islamic teachings?”
“There is nothing wrong with that. What is the issue in naming oneself like that? […] Also, sometimes, one has no choice with regard to official documents. If someone has a name such as ‘Atiya Babar’ for example, which was given after the girl’s father, it would change to a name such as ‘Atiya Mubashir’ after she gets married and her registration takes place. So, if her name appears as ‘Atiya Mubashir’ on the marriage certificate or other official papers, instead of ‘Atiya Babar’, what is wrong with that? There is nothing wrong with that.
“In Islam, it is perfectly permissible to be named after the husband. [In this example that I have given,] the girl’s real name would be ‘Atiya’. The other name would be added for identification. First, she identified herself by the name of her father. Later, after her marriage, the husband became her identity; rather, it is a good thing if she identifies herself with the name of her husband, for then he will take care of his wife’s honour and the wife will take care of her husband’s honour. And, through this, the two will have more love and attachment with each other.
“Therefore, there is nothing wrong with adopting the husband’s name.”