Wife taking her husband's surname

9-5-2005 | IslamWeb

Question:

Can a woman take her husband's name as surname after marriage? Please note that this is common practice in South Asia and Europe. Please give some references with your answer.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

 

Naming the wife after her husband and dropping the name of her father is not permissible as this is among the traditions of the non-Muslims; Allaah says (what means): {Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers; that is more just with Allaah.} [Quran 33:5] The wives of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , were not named after him despite his great status in the sight of Allaah and in the people's sight, rather they kept their family names. If there was any good in naming the wives after their husbands, they would have certainly preceded us in doing so. If a woman is to be attributed to a husband then this should be done in such a way as to avoid ambiguity, like saying such and such woman is the wife of such and such a man, or from the same family, as in the Saying of Allaah (which means): {Allaah presents an example of those who disbelieved: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot.} [Quran 66:10]

Allaah Knows best.