Q: I have heard that you are not allowed to take your husbands surname after getting married according to these verses:
"Call them by their fathers names; that is more just in the sight of Allah. (Quraan 33:5)"
The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Whoever claims to belong to someone other than his father has committed an act of disbelief. (Sahih Bukhari 3508, Muslim 61)".
a. Are these quotes correct?
b. Is the statement you're not allowed to take your husbands surname after marriage correct?
c. I know of people who have registered themselves for marriage at Islamic centres and they have asked women if they want to take their husbands surname.
A: Ambiguity and un-clarity are disliked in Islam. Islam advocates clarity and transparency and commands that one refrains from doing things that are unclear and ambiguous.
Ambiguity means to present something in such a manner that does not reveal the true picture or give the correct meaning. Hence the maiden surname reveals one's true identity and shows the family one comes from.
However, in today’s times since changing the maiden surname to the surname of the husband is in vogue, the ambiguity no longer remains and thus it is permissible to change the surname to the surname of the husband. It is commonly understood in society that the surname is for identification purposes.
Identification is either through lineage (i.e. one's maiden surname) or either through marriage (i.e. the surname of the husband).
It is however impermissible for one to attribute his/her lineage to someone besides his/ her father. Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said:
عن علي بن أبي طالب قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم من ادعى على غير أبيه فعليه لعنة الله و الملائكة والناس أجمعين لا يقبل الله منه يوم القيامة صرفا و لا عدلاً رواه مسلم (1/495)
“The one who attributes his lineage to somebody other than his father, the curse of Allah Ta’aala, the Malaaikah and all the people will fall on him. None of his deeds will be accepted on the day of Qiyaamah.”
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
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