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Fatwa CenterGiving Babies Names of Angels
Question
1) When I tried to name my son as "Ridhwan", somebody said that Muslims should not select the names of Angels for their baby. Is it correct? If they are wrong can you list some names of scholars or leaders among Sahabaths, Thabie or others, having the same names as Angels? 2) 'Ridhwan', Is it the correct spelling to its Arabic word ?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The correct opinion is that giving names similar to the names of angels is permissible without any reprehensibility. This is the opinion of the majority of Muslim scholars.
Imaam An-awawi 
said: “According to our opinion and the opinion of the majority of Muslim scholars is that it is permissible to name children with names of angels and Prophets. No other opinion was recorded in this concern except that from ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, who denied naming after the names of Prophets, and Al-Haarith ibn Miskeen who disliked naming after the names of angels, and Maalik who also disliked to give the name of the angel Jibreel (Gabriel) to children.”
But our evidence for the permissibility is that the Prophet named his son Ibraheem (Abraham) and also the Companions named many of their children after the names of Prophets while the Prophet was alive and after his death. There is no evidence that prohibits doing so.
We do not know of any companion of the Prophet who gave his child a name of an angel, yet this does not indicate the prohibition. However, we find some scholars who were given the name of Jibreel, such as Jibreel ibn Muhammad ibn Isma’eel ibn Sandool.
Imam Az-Zahdi said: “The trustworthy Shaykh narrator of Hamadhan, Abul-Qaasim, Al-Kharaqi, the fair and unbiased.”
There is Jebreel ibn ‘Ahmar, one of the known narrators of Hadeeth. Imam Abu Daawood and An-Nasaa'i reported from him.
The above names are mentioned only to satisfy the need of the inquirer; otherwise, the basic ruling is what is mentioned by Imam An-Nawawi .
As for the spelling of the name mentioned in the question, we think it is appropriate for the pronunciation.
For more benefit on naming children with good names, please refer to Fataawa 82724, 87262, 88553, and 87596.
Allah knows best.
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