Safa and Iram as Names

Q: Are the names Safa and Iram good? Which one is better and what are the meanings?

A. The name Iram is linked to the nation of Aad on whom Divine punishment descended. Some say it is the name of a 'paradise' which Shaddaad had built. Shaddaad is the enemy of Allah. (Ma'aariful Qur'aan; Surah Fajr). The name Iram should not be kept.

Safa is also a good name meaning cleanliness or clean

Better than Safa is the name Safiyyah which means 'chosen'.

Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Artificial Insemination

Q: Is surrogacy allowed in Islam? In this instance the couple's fertilized embryo is planted into a surrogate to be the 'carrier' for the childless couple.

A: 1) IVF or in vitro fertilization, also known as artificial insemination is a procedure whereby the woman’s eggs are extracted and fertilized with the husband’s or donor’s sperm in the laboratory using a receptacle similar to a test-tube. That’s why a baby conceived in this way is called a ‘test-tube’ baby. This procedure is obviously carried out for infertile couples and mothers who cannot bear children. In Islam this will be allowed under the following conditions:

a) Sperm used must be that of the husband. Using donor sperm is not permissible.
b) The husband should not use masturbation as a means to collect sperm. Instead Shari'ah allows coitus interruptus as well as masturbation of the husband by the wife.
c) Surrogacy should not be resorted to. That is, once the sperm and the ova are fertilized, this matter should not be implanted into the womb of another woman who will act as a surrogate mother for the couple. This is sometimes done when the infertile mother has too weak a womb to carry a pregnancy to its term. The fertilized eggs must go back into the womb of the mother.

If the above conditions can be applied then it will be permissible for a couple to resort to IVF as a means of conceiving children. Muslims should not go beyond the limits set above. Rather resign oneself to the Decree of Allah than flouting His Law.

2) It is permissible to use solar powered geysers as well as any solar heated water. Nothing in Qur'aan or Hadeeth prohibits this.
3) The Dead Sea is where the Punishment of Allah came down upon the nation of Nabi Loot (Alayhis-Salaam). There is spiritual darkness in this area, so Muslims are not allowed to use products made from the sand and material of the Dead Sea.

And Allah Ta’aala knows best

Mufti Siraj Desai

Period of Confinement

Q: How long does a woman has to remain indoors after giving birth c section or normal birth?

A. There is no law that she has to remain indoors for a certain amount of days after giving birth, whether caesarean section or normal birth.

There is a superstition among people that after birth a woman has to remain indoors for forty days. This is not a law of Islam. The forty day period is the maximum flow of blood after birth that a woman can experience, according to the Hanafi math-hab. Sometimes the blood can stop before forty days. Even during this period the woman is allowed to come out of the hone if need be. Obviously a female should only come out of her home when there is an urgent or pressing need.

Mufti Siraj Desai

The Name Mutheerah

Q: Can one use the name 'Masera' (The Name of Wind in Jannat at start of Ramadaan) as a name of a baby girl?

A. Al Mutheerah is the name of a wind which blows from below the Arsh on the first night of Ramadhaan. It is not Masera but Mutheerah مُثِيْرَة. It can be kept as a name for a girl.

The Hadeeth mentioning this wind is mentioned in many Hadeeth compilations, among them; Shu'abul Imaan V5 P277.

Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Meanings of Aasiyah and Maryam

Q: Do the names Aasiyah and Maryam have an Islamic meaning? How are they spelt in English and are they good names to give a baby girl?

A. Both Aasiyah and Maryam are good names. Aasiyah was the wife of Fir'aun but she was a Muslim. The Hadeeth has praised her. You have correctly mentioned that Maryam is the name of the mother of Nabi Eesaa (Alayhis Salaam). By virtue of these two names belonging to two special ladies in Islam, they are meritorious and good names to keep. The name Maryam is mentioned in the Qur'aan. In fact, it is the only female name mentioned in the Qur'aan. Immaterial of whether these two names have meanings or not, by keeping these names it is hoped that our children will develop the qualities of these two pious and fortunate ladies, Inshaa Allah Ta'aala.

Actually these names are not Arabic names, but since they are names of pious people, we are advised to use them for our children. The spelling is as written above.

Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Meaning and Pronounciation of the Name Hamzah

Q: I would like to know the pronounciation and meaning of the name Hamza for a boy. Is the pronounciation with a light 'ha' or deeper 'haa'?

A. The name Hamzah is with the letter 'haa' (the one after the letter jeem) and not the deeper haa. It means lion. It was the name of the beloved uncle of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam). Because of his bravery he was known as 'the lion of Allah'. It is a good name to keep. Du'aa should be made that Allah Ta'aala instils the qualities of Sayyidina Hamzah (Radhiyallaahu Anhu) in the child. Sayyidina Hamzah will be the leader of the martyrs in the hereafter.

Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Period of Breastfeeding

Q: What is the minimum period of suckling? What is the maximum period of suckling?

A. There is no minimum period stipulated for suckling. The maximum stipulated period for suckling is up to two years. (Raddul Muhtaar V10 P365)

Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Q: I have a one year old baby who i am breastfeeding. I have just found out that I am pregnant again. Can I continue to breastfeed the baby or must I stop immediately?

A. It is permissible to continue breast-feeding your child even if you are pregnant. There is no harm in doing so. It comes in the Hadeeth that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) allowed the ladies in his time to breast-feed while they were pregnant and he said that if this was harmful to the baby, then the other nations (Jews and Christians) would not be doing this. (Mishkaat). Today modern science also agrees that breastfeeding your baby while expecting another is not dangerous.

Mufti Siraj Desai

Sabreen as a Name

Q: Is Sabreen an accepted Islamic name?

A: Sabreen is from the root word Sabr which means patience. From the same root word Saabirah will be a better choice.

Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Aqeeqa with Meat from Butchery

Q: Is it necessary to purchase a live animal for Aqeeqa, or one can one purchase just the meat of that animal from a butcher to celabrate Aqeeqa?

A: Aqeeqa can only be done by slaughtering a live animal, not be buying fresh meat from a butchery.

Mufti Siraj Desai

Girl's Name Aleesa

Q: Is Aleesa a Islamic name? Jazakallah

A: We have not come across the name Aleesa. You are advised not to use it, or before doing so at least consult other Ulema who might have come across this name.

Mufti Siraj Desai

Disposal of Placenta other Childbirth Issues

Q: After child birth what has to be done with the placenta etc? How do we calculate the seventh day? What has to be done on the seventh day?

A: 1) The placenta must be burnt or buried. 2) The seventh day is calculated from the day of birth. The day baby is born is counted as day one. So if a baby is born on Monday during the day, the seventh day will be Sunday till before Maghrib. 3) On the seventh day the baby’s hair should be shaved, aqeeqa should be made, and parents should begin calling the child by the name chosen for it. Weigh the hair and give the value of the hair in Sadqah.