Is it allowed for a lady to keep the name Muhammeda?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
In principle, it is permissible to keep any name as long as it is not prohibited and is not a common name used by the followers of another religion.[i]
The reason being is that names have become a shi῾ār (outstanding feature). One’s religion is easily determined by the name one has.
We have been advised to keep good names. The Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam said,
“Name your children with the names of the Prophets. The most beloved of names is Abdullah and Abdur Rahmān. The most honest of the names is Hārith and Hammām. The worst of names is Harb and Murrah.”[ii] Harb means war and Murrah means bitter.
It is mustahab to keep the names of the Prophets and that of the pious. Any name which has a negative meaning should not be kept.
Hence, it is permissible for a lady to keep the name Muhammeda.[iii] It is neither prohibited, nor is it a name used by the non-Muslims and neither does it have a negative meaning.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mawlana Faraz Ibn Adam,
Student Darul Iftaa
Leicester, United Kingdom
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net
[i] وفي الموسوعة الفقهية الكويتية
الأَْصْل جَوَازُ التَّسْمِيَةِ بِأَيِّ اسْمٍ إِلاَّ مَا وَرَدَ النَّهْيُ عَنْهُ (ج 11 ص 331 دارالسلاسل)
[ii] وفي مسند أحمد
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” تَسَمَّوْا بِأَسْمَاءِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، وَأَحَبُّ الْأَسْمَاءِ إِلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَبْدُ اللهِ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَأَصْدَقُهَا حَارِثٌ وَهَمَّامٌ، وَأَقْبَحُهَا حَرْبٌ وَمُرَّةُ (رقم الحديث 19067)