Source: Fatawa ‘Ulama-e-Hadith, Volume 09
Is it permissible for a wife to add her husband's name to her own?
There is no harm in a wife using her husband's name alongside her own. This falls under the category of identification, and it does not lead to any confusion or misattribution of lineage.
The concept of identification in Islamic tradition is broad and flexible. Identification can be established through various means:
➤ Sometimes through allegiance (walā’), such as:
– ‘Ikrimah, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbās.
➤ Sometimes through profession, such as:
– al-Ghazāli (meaning: one who works with wool or yarn).
➤ Sometimes through nicknames or titles, such as:
– al-A‘raj (the lame), Abu Muḥammad al-A‘mash.
➤ Sometimes by attributing to the mother, even though the father is known, such as:
– Ismā‘īl ibn ‘Ulayyah.
➤ And sometimes through marital relation, as mentioned in the Noble Qur’an:
﴿امرأة نوح وامرأة لوط﴾
﴿امرأة فرعون﴾
(Surah al-Taḥrīm: 10–11)
“The wife of Noah and the wife of Lot” and “The wife of Pharaoh”.
In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (Hadith: 1462), it is narrated:
Sayyiduna Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه reported:
Zaynab, the wife of Ibn Mas‘ūd, came seeking permission to enter. It was said: "O Messenger of Allah! Zaynab is here."
He ﷺ asked: "Which Zaynab?"
They replied: "The wife of Ibn Mas‘ūd."
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Yes, allow her to enter."
This clearly shows that identification by spousal relationship is permissible in Islamic tradition.
The only prohibited form of attribution is when a person is referred to by a lineage term (like “son of”) to someone other than their actual father, which is strictly forbidden.
As Allah says in the Qur’an:
﴿ادْعُوهُمْ لِآبَائِهِمْ هُوَ أَقْسَطُ عِندَ اللَّهِ﴾
(Surah al-Aḥzāb)
“Call them by their fathers' names; that is more just in the sight of Allah.”
This verse establishes the clear prohibition of false attribution in lineage, not identification for general purposes.
✧ It is permissible for a wife to add her husband’s name to her own for the sake of identification.
✧ This does not fall under the prohibition related to falsely attributing lineage.
✧ The matter pertains to social custom and identification, not to genealogical claims.
Is it permissible for a wife to add her husband's name to her own?
There is no harm in a wife using her husband's name alongside her own. This falls under the category of identification, and it does not lead to any confusion or misattribution of lineage.
The concept of identification in Islamic tradition is broad and flexible. Identification can be established through various means:
➤ Sometimes through allegiance (walā’), such as:
– ‘Ikrimah, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbās.
➤ Sometimes through profession, such as:
– al-Ghazāli (meaning: one who works with wool or yarn).
➤ Sometimes through nicknames or titles, such as:
– al-A‘raj (the lame), Abu Muḥammad al-A‘mash.
➤ Sometimes by attributing to the mother, even though the father is known, such as:
– Ismā‘īl ibn ‘Ulayyah.
➤ And sometimes through marital relation, as mentioned in the Noble Qur’an:
﴿امرأة نوح وامرأة لوط﴾
﴿امرأة فرعون﴾
(Surah al-Taḥrīm: 10–11)
“The wife of Noah and the wife of Lot” and “The wife of Pharaoh”.
❖ Hadith Evidence:
In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (Hadith: 1462), it is narrated:
Sayyiduna Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه reported:
Zaynab, the wife of Ibn Mas‘ūd, came seeking permission to enter. It was said: "O Messenger of Allah! Zaynab is here."
He ﷺ asked: "Which Zaynab?"
They replied: "The wife of Ibn Mas‘ūd."
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Yes, allow her to enter."
This clearly shows that identification by spousal relationship is permissible in Islamic tradition.
Important Note:
The only prohibited form of attribution is when a person is referred to by a lineage term (like “son of”) to someone other than their actual father, which is strictly forbidden.
As Allah says in the Qur’an:
﴿ادْعُوهُمْ لِآبَائِهِمْ هُوَ أَقْسَطُ عِندَ اللَّهِ﴾
(Surah al-Aḥzāb)
“Call them by their fathers' names; that is more just in the sight of Allah.”
This verse establishes the clear prohibition of false attribution in lineage, not identification for general purposes.
Conclusion:
✧ It is permissible for a wife to add her husband’s name to her own for the sake of identification.
✧ This does not fall under the prohibition related to falsely attributing lineage.
✧ The matter pertains to social custom and identification, not to genealogical claims.
