We are expecting twins within a month. We would like to name our boys:
Mohammed Abdur-Rahmaan Afeef
Mohammed Abdur-Raheem Ateeb
Can we name the above? What are their meaning?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
We are very pleased to hear of this exciting news.Allah Ta῾ālā grant you healthy, pious, beautiful, clever and loving children.Amīn.
Muhammad Abdur-Rahman Afeef is a very nice name.Muhammad is the name of our beloved Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam.Abdur Rahmān means the slave of the Benovolent One.Afeef refers to one who is chaste.
Abdur-Rahīm means the slave of the Mericful One.Ateeb means the one who is reprimanded.It is not advisable to keep the name Ateeb.[i]
Although the above mentioned names are nice, it would be better to keep a shorter name.You may keep Muhammad for one and another name for the other child.Or you may keep Abdur-Rahmaan and Abdur-Raheem.It will cause difficulty for the parents and the sons themselves by having long names.Every time a form needs to be filled, one will have to write the whole first name and the surname.The passport will have a long name in it.Teachers at school will have difficulty calling the child all the time.These are just some of the realities of having such a long name.Thus, it seems advisable to select a shorter name.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mawlana Faraz Ibn Adam,
Student Darul Iftaa
UK
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Husain Kadodia
www.daruliftaa.net