Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
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.
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oh no u just declared open season on yourself.
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
^ Why are you surprised. I do that at least once a month.
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
A desi friend of mine (who is in the U.S) named his new born son "Haris." I thought that was brilliant.
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
Declaring open season is a big topic here.
I mean its a very nice thing to want to dress conservatively and all that, and to have a widely accepted Muslim name when you live in a Muslim society.
But when you do NOT live in a Muslim society....you call SO much attention to yourself when you wear Hijaab - it defeats the entire purpose as I see it. If you dress conservatively but within the "norms" of society, NO ONE looks at you but when you go out in Hijaab, you call attention to yourself.
Same with names.
As I said before, I see absolutely NOTHING wrong with BOTH adhering to the customs of Islaam AND living within the norms of the society that you CHOOSE to live in.
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
^^ I know what you are saying but most muslims (if not all) here in the U.S have a plan in the back of their heads to eventually move back to their home country or to a muslim society. So, westernizing their kids name may not be wise in the long run.
I may be declaring an open session here myself.
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
every muslim child should have an islamic name
no matter if it is difficult 2 pronounce or say
thats y we r muslims to give our children the name which we r supposed b givin
not western names 2 show off with
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.
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.
I love reading your posts PCG, especially about Islam...
They are posted in such seriousness and earnestness yet remain so bereft of any fact, evidence or anything remotely associated with Islam...
But hey, full marks for speaking from the heart...
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
every muslim child should have an islamic name no matter if it is difficult 2 pronounce or say thats y we r muslims to give our children the name which we r supposed b givin not western names 2 show off with
what is an islamic name though? are kamran, javed, parvez, shahbaz, pasha, shahrukh, mahrukh, mahjabeen, afshan, arzoo, farnaz, farzana, gulnaz, etc muslim enough as names for you?
what people are saying is that islamic name <> arabic name.
How is having a western name showing off?
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
I see exactly nothing wrong with naming a child within the norms of the society that they will be living in. I DO see wrong in naming a child due to mis-conceived notions of religion. Islaam states that a name have a GOOD meaning - end of story. No need to make some big outstanding statement by naming your child with a name that sticks them out like a sore thumb. The very first thing that you're told in these kidnap-prevention seminars is NEVER NEVER make your child feel so very unique that the child feels isolated. Sorry to tell you hardliners but if you name your child Muhammad or Osama and send them to skool with a bunch of Bills, Sams and Harrys then the kid is GOING to get picked on, beat up and made fun of. No one is meaner than little kids, so wake up and smell the java. And dont make your children pay YOUR bill for your hardline beliefs.
Kidnap prevention scenarios? A name is NOT going to give a child long lasting psychological damage or make them feel like an outcast. They might even be proud of their name since it will be similar to their cousins, etc etc unless the relatives also want to be white and have kids named Steve Hussain and Jessica Parvez.
Naming a child within the norms of the society they live in? WTF? Western people try and find unique sounding names for their children these days, they try and avoid common western names and tend to love foreign names. Oh, the irony.
Norms of a society involve behaviours and values, not names. The only way a name would go against the norms of ANY society would be if it was grossly offensive, like ******* for your son and Whore for your daughter, and even then some countries would refuse to allow you to register that as a name for your child.
For the record, I think a parent can name a child whatever they want. However, Christian people like having traditional Christian names, Hindus like traditional Hindu names etc etc. Therefore a family proud of their background would choose a traditionally used Islamic name.
I don't know what the big deal is, you can even find Islamic versions of Christian names, like Haroon instead of Aaron, Yousef instead of Joeseph etc etc.
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
Why? How is Farsi anymore your culture than Arabic?
What do you mean by my lifestyle? If you think I live a gay lifestyle then you're mistaken, I might be bisexual but I'm non practicing, although I have found somebody else to add to my list of male crushes (anyone seen the billboard advert for motorola razr? The one with the dark haired girl and boy on it? Well I think the guy has fineee abs, shame you can't see his face).
If you're bisexual, and a non practicing one at that, why do you make such a big deal about being attracted to men? You would obviously be attracted to women as well, surely?
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
I teach at a Jewish school and several students have names that some consider proper "Muslim" names, Sahar and Amir, for example.
As long as
-the names have thoughtful and appropriate meanings,
-the name is not being used as a way to disguise Muslim (or ethnic) heritage
-the name is not going to be a reason for teasing
it should be fine.
Religion and language are not the same thing. Arabic is privileged because it is the language of the Quran, and of course a name from this language is a wonderful choice. But I do not feel it is a requirement.
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
Declaring open season is a big topic here.
I mean its a very nice thing to want to dress conservatively and all that, and to have a widely accepted Muslim name when you live in a Muslim society.
But when you do NOT live in a Muslim society....you call SO much attention to yourself when you wear Hijaab - it defeats the entire purpose as I see it. If you dress conservatively but within the "norms" of society, NO ONE looks at you but when you go out in Hijaab, you call attention to yourself.
Same with names.
As I said before, I see absolutely NOTHING wrong with BOTH adhering to the customs of Islaam AND living within the norms of the society that you CHOOSE to live in.
Last post, I promise.
You have equated having a name, which people can't see or know by looking at you on the street, to standing out like wearing a hijaab.
What about religious Sikhs? They stand out wearing their turbans and having their long beards but they don't care, since they are following their faith.
There's lots of converts to Islam who are proud to wear the hijaab, they don't mind that they stand out, and believe me they stand out more when it is white skin under the hijaab.
The only thing that really does seem to stand out and seem a bit extreme is the burka.
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
[quote="Sahar02, post:10, topic:167993"]
-the name is not being used as a way to disguise Muslim (or ethnic) heritage
QUOTE]
This is what it will inevitably lead to, even if it wasn't an intention of the parents.
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
^But what you consider "Muslim" names are only names of a specific region. What is it that makes them Muslim?
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
Well whatever their origin they have been used by Muslims for hundreds of years, so they become referred to as 'Muslim' names. If they are just names from a region and are not Muslim as such, imagine a Hindu or Christian family naming their child Mohammed because they like the name.
That would never happen because the westerners don't put others on a pedestal, yet Muslims are willing to name their children western names to fit in, to be more like the westerners.
I want to be able to say a name is just a name and I do like 'non-muslim' names, it's just for that for whatever reason, if I were to have children I would never consider giving them a name not related or connected to Muslims.
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
btw havent u ppl see the new trend of coming some with newfangled name like armaghan, wasfa, soboyi, shahaan, etc etc.
so this idea of western names is outdated. so keep NEW, CREATIVE N DIFFICULT NAMES!! 
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
I personally would not want a name that "blends in" -- and I wouldn't want that for my child either. But that's a personal preference, not a religious requirement.
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
I don't know what the big deal is, you can even find Islamic versions of Christian names, like Haroon instead of Aaron, Yousef instead of Joeseph etc etc.
Umm.... those are NOT "Islamic" versions of "Christian" names, they are the "Arabic" versions of names found in both religions. As Fraudia pointed out earlier, there are CHRISTIANS in the ME named Yousef, Haroon, Yunus, etc. You would most likely not be able to tell the difference between a Christian or Muslim in Lebanon or Syria by name alone. Stop being so judgemental.
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
I want to be able to say a name is just a name and I do like 'non-muslim' names, it's just for that for whatever reason, if I were to have children I would never consider giving them a name not related or connected to Muslims.
So you won't be naming your child Pervez, Shahgufta, Zeeshan, Guljaan, Marokh, Nargis, or other traditional Pakistani names, then, since they are not related to or connected to "muslims"?
Re: Is it okay if you give ur child a english name: though u are a muslim/pakistiani?
But most of those names you mentioned are connected to Muslims since they have been used by Muslims for a long time. I don't know any Christians named Parvez.
I didn't mean to come across judgmental at all. That's the way you read it. Throughout this thread I have tried to understand both points of view, and I have just stated my opinion.