Naming Children with the Names of Allah

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: I’m pregnant and we are expecting a boy. We would like to name him Sami`. But this is one of Allah’s names me and my husband cannot agree if we are allowed to use it. Would you clarify this for us?

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.

It would be permitted to call your child Sami` — the Arabic spelling of which is: sin mim ya `ayn.

It is permissible to name someone with any name of the names of Allah except those which are specific to Him, such as Allah and Rahman. [Ibn `Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya]

It would be best, however, not to make it definite using the alif-lam (e.g. al-Sami`). [ibid.]

And Allah alone gives success.

Wassalam,

Tabraze Azam

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani