don’t u think she is changing her identity all of a sudden??? or is it compulsory
re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
no, it's NOT legally, religiously [Islam] or morally required of a woman to change her name after marriage...as a matter of fact, Islam discourage such practices which give the impression that the woman is a man's property...
re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
its not compulsory at all. i don't think it even says that anywhere in islam. its a gora tradition that we adopted.
re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
yeah I found this out very recently, but changing the last name to your husband's surname is a Western tradition. It's not an Islamic practice, or indeed even a Pakistani practice. A lot of women in Pakistan will just adopt their husband's first name as their last name, or use their husband's whole name as their last name. Alternatively, keeping your name the way it is is also a perfectly reasonable option!
re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
Yup, it's not compulsory (in the West or otherwise) and discouraged Islamically. I like my name sooo I'm not changing it :)
Re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
first thing my husband did after the halla gulla of shadi was over ! I remember I was waiting for my turn at the ID card office and holding my tears and hating my husband lol. when the officer put in sargodha's address in the Permanent address section and husband's place in Lahore as current address, my tears burst out badly and I was weeping...just the face in the picture was the same and everything else was being changed overnight? it's funny to think about it when I look back but it was an emotional issue for me.. and in the end, just the name got changed while the address stayed the same :D maybe husbands want a reassurance of their new "possession" aka wife by replacing their surnames ?
Re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
“maybe husbands want a reassurance of their new “possession” aka wife by replacing their surnames”
Re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
I know islamically it's not compulsory, but my fiance says changing your surname helps with legal things, is that true?
Re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
Traditionally I woulda thought women take their father's first name as their surname, but these days, not a lot of women tend to do that.
I guess it's up to you whether you want to change it or not :/
Re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
I am not going to change my surname. I love the identity given to me by my parents. As for legal documents I thinks it enough if on your ID-card to mention that you are married and to whom. I don't know the rest.
Not necessarily. Even in western culture, it's not a requirement to change your name. It is encouraged but it is ultimately the girl's choice.
I plan on keeping my maiden name even after i'm married, because it me 'me'. Just as OP said, it's my identity. :)
Re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
I know islamically it's not compulsory, but my fiance says changing your surname helps with legal things, is that true?
maybe if you are applying for immigration to somewhere? but i don't know for sure...i think its enough that it says you are married to the person. in canada, you can assume your spouse's last name without legally changing your name. so it would be your name on drivers license, health card, passport etc. but you wouldn't have to permanently change your name. as a compromise, and because we now have a kid who shares his dad's last name, i've agreed to hyphenate (my last name-his last name) but i still haven't assumed it properly- its just such a pain to change it.
Re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
I know islamically it's not compulsory, but my fiance says changing your surname helps with legal things, is that true?
it makes NO difefrence in the Western world, at least, if you have different surnames. you have your own identity.
some women i know those who are professionals keep their maiden name at work because they have their degrees in that name while they change their legal name. so, it possible to keep your maiden name...some women insert their maiden name in the middle. it doesn't matter. i guess keeping your maiden name is better because you keep ur original identity and you don't feel like you are owned by ur husband. :)
If men care so much about legality, why don't they change their last name to their wife's last name...it'll ONLY be fair! :)
Re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
I know islamically it's not compulsory, but my fiance says changing your surname helps with legal things, is that true?
What legal things? Has he elaborated?
I didn't change my name and I don't c any reason to.
Re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
I would never change my surname from my father's last name to husband's. Pakistani law is so crappy where you have to change your surname after marriage...I plan to ditch Pakistani passport and get British one just for this one reason.
Re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
I dont think its Pakistani law. Law is just saying that one has to show that they are married or not but they are not forcing you to change the name. Its the people and I agree with prototype some people need assurance for their new possession.
Re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
I dont think its Pakistani law. Law is just saying that one has to show that they are married or not but they are not forcing you to change the name. Its the people and I agree with prototype some people need assurance for their new possession.
It's their law. I know it.
Re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
LOL…and where did your fiance get his law degree from? 
My mother kept her maiden name. On top of that…my siblings and I have my mother’s 1st name as our last name. No logical reason behind it…just how it happened. So my mother and father have different last names…and the kids (us) have a last name that different from BOTH of our parents. We NEVER had any type of “legal” issues.
At one point hubby wanted me to change mine b/c of tradition…blah blah blah. I told him when he’s willing to change his last name…we can talk. Otherwise I don’t want to even hear about this nonsense. I don’t mind if someone socially refers to me as Mrs. hubby’s last name. But legally, on my driver’s licence, SSN, passport etc…will ALWAYS have the name that’s on my birth certificate.
Re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
I would never change my surname from my father's last name to husband's. Pakistani law is so crappy where you have to change your surname after marriage...I plan to ditch Pakistani passport and get British one just for this one reason.
U don't have to hareem. No1 in my family or friends has changed. It's quite old fashioned. Very few people do it anyways.
Re: Why should a girl change her surname after marriage?
I have no idea where he got the idea from, I think we were having a discussion (arguement) about changing my surname after we got married and I started talking about how it’s not an islamic requirement, because he thought it was, and I guess he just didn’t want to be wrong (lose). And I believed him. 
Anyway it’s important to him so I’ll be changing my surname, he’s always saying I can’t wait for you to be Mrs …, and I’m always asking: you can’t wait until I’m your mum? 