Changing name of step-daughter to appropriate Islamic name

Question #351:

A brother intends to marry a sister who has a daughter less than two years of age.The child was given a name by the father (who is an open sinner) but the name does not bear the meanings of the known righteous and islamic names or at least the meaning is unclear.

Is it permissible for this brother to change the name of the step-daughter after he marries the sister?

 Answer :

   نعم، يجوز له تغيير اسمها باسم حسن غير قبيح.

ولا يتوقف الجواز شرعا لتغيير الاسم على الأب الصلبي.

وقد كان النبي -صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم- يغير أسماء غير أبنائه من الناس.

Yes. It is permissible for him to change her name to a good name which has no disliking element and the legislative permissibility of changing the name is not only for the direct father (even people other than the father can change the name), and the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) changed the names of the people who were not his sons.

Answered by : Shaykh Abu Hatim Yusuf Al Jazairi hafidhahullah 

Translated by : Abu Muhammad Nezam Uddin Al Hindi

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