Fear of Mispronunciation of a Child’s Name

Question: 

There’s a couple that can’t decide between the names E’saa and Adam . They fear people won’t pronounce the ع properly in E’saa because the meaning might change. Some advice moulana?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-Salāmu ʿAlaykum Wa-Raḥmatullāhi Wa-Barakātuh

In principle, both names are blessed and noble, as they are the names of great Ambiyāʾ ʿĪsā and Ādam عليهم السلام.

As for the concern regarding the pronunciation of “ʿĪsā” (عيسى), the letter ʿayn (ع) should ideally be pronounced correctly, especially by those who are able to do so. However, many non-Arabs struggle to pronounce certain Arabic letters properly, and this does not render the name impermissible nor alter the intended identity of the name in common usage. Numerous Muslim names contain letters that are often mispronounced, yet they remain valid and widely used throughout the Muslim world.

Accordingly, if the parents wish to name their child “ʿĪsā” out of love for the noble Nabi ʿĪsā عليه السلام, there is no issue in doing so. At the same time, if they prefer a name that is generally easier to pronounce, then “Ādam” is likewise a beautiful and honored name of our great grandfather عليه السلام.

And Allah Taʿāla Knows Best.

Baba Abu Bakr

Student –Darul Iftaa

Accra, Ghana

Checked and Approved by

Mufti Muhammad Zakariyya Desai