Is It Permissible To Change Your Surname After A Parent’s Death?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

After my father’s death, I want to change my last name from Bouhroum to bin Hassan because he was abusive, and I do not wish my future children to carry his name. His name was written as Ahsene, but he told people his name was Hassan. Are Hassan and Ahsene the same name, and is it permissible to change my surname to bin Hassan?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

When it comes to family (last) names and middle names, these are not common practices among Arabs, so there are no rulings that preclude them. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

The only issue that relates to Islamic rulings is lineage and tribal affiliations, as changes to these can lead to deception in identity and lineage.

Traditionally, Arabs did not have last names. Their second name is usually the name of their father, either with or commonly (in modern times) without being prefixed with son of (bin) or daughter of (bint).

In Western societies, the surname is usually not one of lineage, at least not in its common modern usage. Traditionally, this was not the case. Many names, such as Johnson or Thompson, originally meant “John’s son” or “Tom’s son,” expressing lineage. Now they have all but lost that meaning.

Patrilineal

Furthermore, your son’s lineage will be through his father’s side, not through your side. This is because lineage in Islam is patrilineal, not matrilineal.

Thus, there is nothing Islamicly wrong with changing your last name.

Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he went on to study at Darul Uloom Seminary in New York and completed his studies at Darul Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen.

There, he completed the memorization of the Quran and his study of Islamic Sciences. Throughout his years of study, he was blessed to learn from many great scholars: Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Habib Kazhim al-Saqqaf, Shaykh ‘Umar bin Husayn al-Khatib, and others.

Upon returning, he joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.