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Hajj FatwasQuestion:
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.
Fatwa:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His Slave and Messenger.
is His Slave and Messenger.Naming the wife after the name of her husband and neglecting the name of her father is not permissible as this is among the traditions of the non-Muslims. Allah says (which means): {Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers, that is more just with Allah.}[Quran 33:5]. The wives of the Prophet were not named after him despite his great status in the sight of Allah and in people's sight, rather they kept their family name. 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 attributed to a husband then this is done in a way to avoid ambiguity, like saying such and such woman is the wife of such and such husband, but not to say that she is from the same family lineage like him. Allah says (which means): {Allah presents an example of those who disbelieved: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot.}[Quran 66:10].
were not named after him despite his great status in the sight of Allah and in people's sight, rather they kept their family name. 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 attributed to a husband then this is done in a way to avoid ambiguity, like saying such and such woman is the wife of such and such husband, but not to say that she is from the same family lineage like him. Allah says (which means): {Allah presents an example of those who disbelieved: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot.}[Quran 66:10]. Allah knows best.
Fatwa answered by: The Fatwa Center at Islamweb
