Is It Permissible To Use a Nickname That Shortens My Given Name?


Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question:

I’ve noticed that people tend to shorten my name Haajira to Haaj. I don’t find this completely comfortable because I wasn’t sure whether that is acceptable in Islam.
Answer:

Assalamu alaykum,

Thank you for your question. It is permissible for people to call you by a loving nickname such as the one you describe. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to call his wife `A’isha, Humayra,’ (the one with the pink cheeks) or `A’ish.  As long as the nickname doesn’t denote a bad meaning or change one of the names of Allah, such as Abdul-Hameed, to Hamoodi, there is nothing wrong with it. Please see more details below:

https://seekersguidance.org/tag/nicknames/
https://islamqa.org/hanafi/askimam/80359/is-it-permissible-to-call-people-by-harmless-nicknames/

[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani