Source: Fatāwā ‘Ilmiyyah (Tawḍīḥ al-Aḥkām), Vol. 2, p. 52
❖ The Question
Will people be called by their mothers’ names on the Day of Judgement? Please provide a researched clarification.
Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh. Ammā ba‘d:
1. Reports Mentioning Calling by Mothers’ Names
Narration in al-Mu‘jam al-Kabīr (al-Ṭabarānī):
«إن الله تعالی یدعوا الناس یوم القیامة بأمهاتهم ستراً منه علی عباده»
“Indeed, on the Day of Judgement, Allāh will call the people by their mothers’ names, as a means of covering their faults.”
(al-La’ālī al-Maṣnū‘ah by al-Suyūṭī, 2/449, from al-Ṭabarānī)
This report also appears in:
- al-Mu‘jam al-Kabīr (11/122, ḥadīth 11242)
- Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr (8/43; another edition 4/331)
- Majma‘ al-Zawā’id (10/539)
Some versions have “by their names” (bi-asmā’ihim) instead of “by their mothers’ names.” Both wordings come through the same narrator.
2. Status of the Narrator
The narrator is Abū Ḥudhayfah Isḥāq ibn Bishr – matrūk (abandoned):
- Majma‘ al-Zawā’id (10/359)
- Mīzān al-I‘tidāl (1/184–186)
- Lisān al-Mīzān (1/354–355)
Scholars’ Statements:
- Imām al-Dāraqutnī: “A liar, abandoned.” (al-Ḍu‘afā’ wa-al-Matrūkīn, p. 92)
- Ibn Ḥibbān: “He used to fabricate ḥadīth upon trustworthy narrators.” (al-Majrūḥīn, 1/135)
The attempt of Muḥammad ibn ‘Umar al-Nīsābūrī to declare him trustworthy is rejected because he himself is majhūl al-ḥāl (unknown). Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī also dismisses this as invalid (Mīzān al-I‘tidāl, 1/185).
3. Another Weak Report (Ibn ‘Adī)
Al-Suyūṭī also cites another report from Ibn ‘Adī:
«یدعی الناس یوم القیامة بأمهاتهم ستراً من الله علیهم»
“People will be called on the Day of Judgement by their mothers’ names so that Allāh covers them.”
(al-La’ālī al-Maṣnū‘ah, 2/449; al-Kāmil by Ibn ‘Adī, 1/336)
This narration contains Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm al-Ṭabarī – munkar al-ḥadīth:
- Ibn Ḥibbān: “Extremely munkar al-ḥadīth; narrates fabricated reports; not permissible to write his ḥadīth except in amazement.” (al-Majrūḥīn, 1/138)
- al-Ḥākim: “He narrated fabricated reports from Mālik, Ibn ‘Uyaynah, al-Fuḍayl ibn ‘Iyāḍ, and ‘Abd Allāh ibn al-Walīd al-‘Adanī.” (al-Madkhal ilā al-Ṣaḥīḥ, p. 119)
Thus, this narration is fabricated.
4. The Authentic Report
In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, the Prophet ﷺ said:
«إن الغادر یرفع له لواء یوم القیامة، یقال: هذه غدرة فلان بن فلان»
“On the Day of Judgement, a banner will be raised for the treacherous person, and it will be said: ‘This is the treachery of so-and-so, son of so-and-so.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Adab, Bāb Mā Yud‘ā al-Nās bi-Ābā’ihim, ḥadīth 6177)
This authentic ḥadīth clearly shows that people will be called by their fathers’ names on the Day of Judgement.
Conclusion
❌ All narrations about calling by mothers’ names are weak or fabricated.
✅ According to the authentic report in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, people will be called by their fathers’ names.
Therefore: The established and correct way on the Day of Judgement will be calling people with their father’s name.
ھذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
