Is It True That It Is Not Permissible To Name a Newborn Boy ’Binyameen?

Answered by: Maulana Mohammed Haroon Hussain

Question:

Is it true that it is not permissible to name a newborn boy ‘Binyameen’?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

This name is the name of the younger brother of Sayyiduna Yusuf alaihis salaam. There is no cause for it to be impermissible that I can see. It is not a name that is specific to non-Muslims. Muslims are also known to keep the name.

Imam Tabari¹ and Imam Ibn Kathir² have mentioned in the tafsir of the ayah:

اذ قالوا ليوسف وأخوه أحب الى أبينا ونحن عصبة

…that the word “أخوه” is referring to Binayameen.

Allamah Alusi has mentioned that Sayyiduna Yaqub alaihis salaam loved him because he was very similar to his real brother Sayyiduna Yusuf alaihissalaam³.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Mohammed Haroon Hussain

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

1 قال يعنون بنيامين

تفسير الطبري

2 يعنون بنيامين وكان شقيقه لأمه

تفسير ابن كثير

3 بنيامين وتخصيصه بالاضافة لاختصاصه بالاخوة من جانبي الام والاب وهي اقوى من الاخوة من احدهما ولم يذكروه باسمه اشعارًا بانَّ محبة يعقوب عليه السلام له لاجل شقيقه يوسف عليه السلام

تفسير الآلوسي