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As-salamu ‘alaikum

My wife and I converted to Islam recently. I elected to change my name, though I know it's not required. My wife does not wish to change her name.

I'm trying to find out whether it is necessary for her. Her name is Christine. My understanding is that if the name suggests worship of or obedience to anyone but Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), that the name is haram. So my understanding is that since Christine suggests service to Christ, it is haram.

Am I mistaken? If she should change her name, how soon should this be done? I'd appreciate any help and advice insha’Allah.

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    Do you even know what christ means?
    – Kilise
    Mar 1, 2016 at 7:00
  • So christ means the choosen one. And Christine means follower of the choosen one. There are thousands of Muslims with the same name in Arabic as Mustafa or Mokhtar which both mean the choosen one. Logically it would be worse to call on self the choosen one than follower of the choosen. If the Muslims haven't seen a problem in that then there can be no problem with her name. It's a nice name.
    – Kilise
    Mar 1, 2016 at 7:07
  • It's not haraam
    – Sayyid
    Mar 1, 2016 at 10:12
  • Thanks. However, I've seen fatwas elsewhere that say Christopher is haram. So what's the difference? Link: islamqa.info/en/23273 -- And it says the name Abd al-Maseeh is haram, which means slave of the Messiah, so what's the difference with the name Christine?
    – devbanana
    Mar 1, 2016 at 10:48
  • abd al masih means slave of christ which is not the same thing as follower of christ. and Christopher does not mean slave of christ so even that name would not be haram. now the page you are linking is One page following one opinion (salafi) . there are other opinions. by the way the word Christopher does not mean slave of masih which makes it not possible to say it's haram
    – Kilise
    Mar 1, 2016 at 20:19

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According to where one live, to change one's name - if it's not really required - might not be the best idea. For instance using a Muslim name tend to get you through hardship in many situations, such as looking for a new job, in the airport and so on. We should not make it hard upon ourselves:

And Allah wants to lighten for you [your difficulties]; and mankind was created weak.

Do you live in a muslim or Arabic speaking country, then it might be much more accepted and "normal" with changing to an Arabic name.

Now, the name one has is personal and is given by one's parents, how glad would they be if you changed your name? How will this affect your relationship with your parents or family? Might it lead to difficulties or even splitting one's ties with one's family?

Maintaining the bonds of kinship (silatur-rahim) indeed enjoys extraordinary importance in Islam. Conversely, severing the ties (qata-ur-rahim) is very high on the list of enormities. On two occasions, Allah cursed the one severing family ties: “And those who break the covenant of Allah, after its ratification, and sever that which Allah has commanded to be joined (i.e. they sever the bond of kinship and are not good to their relatives) and work mischief in the land, on them is the curse, and for them is the unhappy home (i.e. Hell)” (Qur’an, 13:25)

Allah also says: “So would you perhaps, if you turned away, cause corruption on earth and sever your [ties of] relationship? Would ye then, if ye were given the command, work corruption in the land and sever your ties of kinship? (Qur’an, 47:22-23)

Reference

Now the name Christine isn't a name that must be changed.

The name Christine is of French and English origin, meaning "follower of Christ" Reference can be found in Wikipedia, urbandictionary.com and other sources.

Christ (also masih in arabic, mentioned in Quran several times) means the chosen or anointed. Check it up.

So the follower of the anointed, isn't that a beautiful name? If we can name our sons for the chosen (Mustafa, Mokhtar) in Arabic, why can't someone be called the follower of the chosen in another language?

My conclusion is that this name is not haram.

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    Mashallah good answer, you are right we cannot say this name is haram, but it can be mistaken for her to as she is christian, which means that she has all those beliefs of SHIRK etc. and that not a good thing. I should say this name seems makrooh and its better to change. Take pride in Islam, don't shy.
    – Zia Ul Rehman Mughal
    Mar 2, 2016 at 18:45
  • Jazaka Allahu Khayran brother! I don't think we are responsible for peoples misconceptions about a word (or name). Also not ALL Christians do shirk (layso sawa2an 3:113). I live in a country where the name Christine is very popular and I can say that the vast majority has no idea what that name means and the vast majority do not think about it as a religious name. They don't think about their names (any more) as Arabs do, by giving a name that has a meaning. I wouldn't call the name makrooh. And in the question it is clearly said that she doesn't want to change her name.
    – Kilise
    Mar 2, 2016 at 19:18
  • OK than, if this is the case and this name doesnot lead to people thinking her as christian than there is nothing against this name.
    – Zia Ul Rehman Mughal
    Mar 3, 2016 at 9:22

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