Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
The early muslims didn't invent names out of thin air to keep themselves apart from the Kuffar. Kuffars also took the same Arabic names that you found among converts to Islam. If this was the case, Prophet Muhammed would have renounced his name as given to him by his pagan parents and given himself a new name.
The ONLY reason why muslims take on Arabic or Farsi names is for the sake of unity and recognition. That if I name my kid Abdullah, I know that everyone else will know that they're muslim. If that's why you want to name your kid Abdullah, then go ahead, no problem. But if a person takes on a non-Arabic, non-Farsi name just because they like the sound of it and the meaning, then don't get so antsy about it. There is NO requirement in Islam to name your kid by an Arabic name. Its quite like wearing an Abayah. Do you need to wear one? No. But many women do, and often times, its because they want to be identified as muslims. That doesn't make it a mandatory thing.
Aren't we, as Muslims, advised to not follow the non-believers' example? Some people westernise the name Mohammed to 'Mo,' I have been led to believe that this is an example of distorting the Prophet's name and should not be done.
It's a sad day that our people have to take western names just to fit in. It seems to be following in the example of American Jews who changed their names decades ago to names not easily identifiable as being Jewish in origin. An example would be Stan Lieber, who became Stan Lee.
This is also a trend that the Indian community has been partaking in for a while now, I've met a couple of Peter Singhs. You also come across Chinese people with western names but they often are Christians.
You may want to name your children so they fit in with western kids, but then believe me kids with traditional Muslim names will look at your children like they stand out, they will still be 'outsiders' in one sense or another.
Most of the asian people I know have grown up with Muslim, Sikh, Hindu names and don't seem to have suffered from any permanent emotional scarring.
The reasons given all seem to be a way to make your kids sound white.
I'd like to add that in Pakistan, you'll find Pakistani muslims with names that are very village-ish and come from Hindu orgins. Take for example, Chandni, or Kiran, or Neha, etc. So, then why is it inconeivable that someone can name their kid George or Harry or Isadore?
Its because its not very common, and we have a tendency to automatically think "Christian" when we hear a white name or "Hindu" if we hear a hindu name.
We're becoming a very global society. We need to start thinking outside the box. I might chose an Arabic name for my child, but I can guarantee you, its only because it sounds good, not because its Arabic.
Every place has it’s own gig to it… perhaps the ‘picking on one’ is always different. U see there was just this one ‘christian boy’ in our class, and that was convent, we always bullied him, he always got beaten up, and the boys always pinned him to the ground kay parh 'la ila ha illal la…!!!" Man puhlease… seriously u guppies need to open up ur mind and stop thinking only as wide as a gun barrel’s hole permits u.