Ruling on Names like Ghulam Rasool, Nabi Bakhsh, and Wali Bakhsh
Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil in the Light of Qur’an and Hadith, Vol. 1, p. 546
Question:
What do the scholars say in the light of Qur’an and Sunnah about keeping names such as:
◄ Ghulam Rasool
◄ Ghulam Nabi
◄ Nabi Bakhsh
◄ Ghulam Husain
◄ Wali Bakhsh
◄ Ghulam Farid
or other similar names? Some people claim that “ghulam” here simply means “obedient/servant.”
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
◄ Names like Nabi Bakhsh and Wali Bakhsh are not permissible, because children are bestowed only by Allah Almighty. As Allah says in the Qur’an:
﴿يَهَبُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ إِنَاثًا وَيَهَبُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ الذُّكُورَ﴾
“He grants daughters to whom He wills, and He grants sons to whom He wills.”
(al-Shūrā: 49)
◄ However, names like Ghulam Rasool, Ghulam Nabi, Ghulam Husain, and Ghulam Farid are permissible, provided that the meaning of “ghulam” here is taken as “servant” or “devoted follower.”
Hādhā mā ʿindī wallāhu aʿlam bis-ṣawāb.
Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil in the Light of Qur’an and Hadith, Vol. 1, p. 546
Question:
What do the scholars say in the light of Qur’an and Sunnah about keeping names such as:
◄ Ghulam Rasool
◄ Ghulam Nabi
◄ Nabi Bakhsh
◄ Ghulam Husain
◄ Wali Bakhsh
◄ Ghulam Farid
or other similar names? Some people claim that “ghulam” here simply means “obedient/servant.”
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
◄ Names like Nabi Bakhsh and Wali Bakhsh are not permissible, because children are bestowed only by Allah Almighty. As Allah says in the Qur’an:
﴿يَهَبُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ إِنَاثًا وَيَهَبُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ الذُّكُورَ﴾
“He grants daughters to whom He wills, and He grants sons to whom He wills.”
(al-Shūrā: 49)
◄ However, names like Ghulam Rasool, Ghulam Nabi, Ghulam Husain, and Ghulam Farid are permissible, provided that the meaning of “ghulam” here is taken as “servant” or “devoted follower.”
Hādhā mā ʿindī wallāhu aʿlam bis-ṣawāb.
