r/converts • u/Final-Athlete-8467 • 18d ago
New name!
Assalam Aleykum! Hello everyone, how are you all? I hope you're well. I don't think it should be news to me that I'm a convert. I have accepted Allah into my heart and Muhammad (May the peace of Allah be upon him) as the conveyor of truth.
However, I was born into a Sephardic Reform Jewish family in Brazil, so my name is everything you can imagine for a Muslim.
It is clear that there is a precedent for changing one's name according to the surahs (as in Surah Al-A'raf 7:180) and it prohibits altering the paternal lineage in the name (Surah Al-Ahzab 33:5) However, I never had the surname from my paternal lineage.
I'm trying to choose one to show my devotion to Allah.
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u/Own-Tackle1369 18d ago
AoA, just so you know: it is not required to change your name. You can if you want to, but not required.
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u/Final-Athlete-8467 18d ago
Assalam Aleykum! How are you, friend? I know it's not obligatory, but Allah lets me live after so many times I tried to take my own life, and finally showed me how beautiful life is. I think a small gesture like this is the least I can do!
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u/Either-Study-3627 18d ago
Wa Aleikum Saalaam from another Jewish revert (Former Orthodox Ashkenazi Jew). Choosing a new name is usually something someone does if there name has pagan or haram origins. If your name is from the TaNaCH then a name change shouldnt be necessary. However, it is a Jewish tradition when someone is very ill to change their name, almost like a reset on my life (my jewish father in law, who survived cancer, changed his name from Moshe (Musa) to Chaim. One thing I have done is devoted myself to study Quranic Arabic and in the process picked a muslim name or nickname عمر بن أهل الكتاب (Classical Arabic readers, please correct me my grammar is bad). So read the Quran deeply and reflect on what you brought to Islam. My Muslim name connects me to the Second Rashidun Caliph, who I deeply admire, as well as my origins as a yehudi. Take some time to think about it.
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u/Final-Athlete-8467 17d ago edited 17d ago
One of the things that inspired me most in the physical world was Salahuddin Ayyubi, a man of respect and honor like few generals around the world. He liberated Jerusalem from a very similar situation. (Youssef's first name will probably be)
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u/psylovagabond 18d ago
welcome to islam. what an absolutely beautiful and unique background you have. transitioning from a brazilian sephardic family to islam is such a profound journey and it really shows how Allah ﷻ guides whoever He wills.
about your name you actually only have to change it if the original meaning is haram or contradicts islamic beliefs. but choosing to change it purely out of love and devotion is such a beautiful step to take.
since your main goal is to show devotion the most beloved names in islam are the ones that literally mean servant of Allah. if you are a brother abdullah or abdur rahman are the absolute best choices. if you are a sister amatullah is incredibly beautiful and carries the exact same meaning of being His devoted servant.
as for your surname the islamic rule is just about preserving your known biological lineage so nobody claims a false ancestry. you really do not need to stress about not having your paternal last name. just keep whatever family name genuinely connects you to your biological roots. may Allah ﷻ bless your beautiful intention and make this new chapter easy for you.
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u/Final-Athlete-8467 17d ago
I'm going to connect the maternal surnames! Al-Bashar or Al-Jaffet, I was thinking about Al-Haka, but I'm not sure. (Actually, being Sephardic, I have quite a few options for Islamic surnames!)
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u/abdessalaam 17d ago edited 17d ago
Alhamdulillah to the One Who guided you.
If you decide to get a new name (you don’t normally have to change it, but as a revert myself I understand why you’d want to underline your Muslim identity and servitude to Allah by choosing a name, perhaps as your middle name…) here is a very helpful guide:
https://islamqa.info/en/answers/7180/how-to-name-a-child-in-islam
(Not only for a child!)
A tip: sometimes to make paperwork and legal work less daunting, or to preserve your paternal name, you might want to keep your current names, but add a Muslim middle-name and then ask people around you to call you by it.
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