Search In Fatwa

Details of the naming ceremony

Question

I need more explanation about naming ceremony in Islamic way and a gathering of women after a naming ceremony took place. Did Islam allowed it? If yes how do we put it into a practice and if not how can someone avoid it?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

As far as we know, there is no particular ceremony in Islam where people gather to celebrate the naming of the new-born child.

What we know are the Sunnah acts related to the new-born, which are performing the 'Aqeeqah for him/her, shaving his/her hair and giving him/her a name as explained in Fataawa 81462 and 82088.

Therefore, if by the "naming ceremony" you mean inviting a group of people to gather on the day when you perform the 'Aqeeqah on behalf of the new-born, then in principle all invitations are lawful unless there is an impediment to that lawfulness.

Now, if the person inviting the people does that with the intention of being grateful to Allaah and feeding his/her relatives, then this is permissible, Allaah willing, and he/she will be rewarded for it.

As for the gathering of ladies just for the sake of the naming ceremony itself, then it is more appropriate to avoid that in order to stay away from innovations and anything that could lead to them.

Allaah Knows best.

Related Fatwa