I have been a Muslim for almost three years, Al-Humdu Lillah, and I have recently come across a ruling about name changes. I have changed my whole name. When I became a Muslim I adopted a Muslim first name, but did not change my name legally. Then I got married. I was considering what to do about my name then because, as you know, in the West we (women) often change our family names when we marry. Then I became pregnant. We live in a non-Muslim country which neither of us (my husband and I) are native to, so I travelled to my home country to have the baby. For that travel I needed a passport in my correct name and so, to sort out my names once and for all, I changed both my names (my first name to a Muslim name and my family name to my husband's family name) - mainly because I did not want to constantly address confusion about me being the natural mother of our children (as could be the case in the West - thinking I was the step-mother or something). After our daughter was born, my husband and I were still unsure about the name situation and so gave our daughter my maiden family name as a middle name. Still, we think we have handled all of this incorrectly and wonder if you can advise us? Do I need to change my name legally back and get all my documents changed again in keeping with that? I feel very happy with my name now, but I realise that is rather unimportant! Please help me to do the right thing in this case.

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 is His slave and Messenger.

Changing the name of a new Muslim is not compulsory unless the name is of the kinds that are forbidden in the Sharee'ah.

It is strictly forbidden for a Muslim to trace himself back to a person other than his real father even if his father is a non-Muslim. Abu Thar narrated that the Prophet said: "If somebody claims to be the son of any other than his real father knowingly, he but disbelieves in Allaah, and if somebody traces himself back to a people with whom he has no family lineage, then let him have his place in the Hellfire." [Al-Bukhari]

Therefore, one should change his/her affiliation to other than his father and should trace himself back to his/her real father in official papers and everywhere else.

The rule is common for the questioning sister and her daughter. However, if there is a greater harm in changing the affiliation in papers then one may ignore it provided they inform people of the real name of his/her father and be known in their community with the name of their real father.

Allaah Knows best.