Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

ASSALAM O ALAIKUM!

 

My name is ZARTASHIA HUSSAIN. I am 30 years old. Recently i have come to know from one of the islamic websites that ZARTASHT was jamat of mushrikeen. As my name resembles a lot with the word ZARTASHT, though not exact the same but seems very close to it, so i am much worried about my present name. Is it crrect islamically or not?Should i change my name or let it remain the same? As i have also heard that it is preferable for the muslims to have islamic names as they have good meaning and thus have positive effect on our life. As my name resembles with that of mushrikeen(i had no knowledge of that before), i feel very bad that it has close resemblence with the people who were mushrik and enemies of islam. Is it preferable for me to change it? Please guide me in the light of Quran and Sunnah.JAZAKALLAH

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

 

Change name

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

The name Zoroaster is associated with a 6^th century BC religious figure from Persia who propagated the worship of ‘fire’, and his followers are known as Zoroastrian in English and Zartasht in Arabic or Urdu.

 

Because the name Zartasht is directly associated with a belief based on ‘shirk’ (polytheism), it would definitely neither befit nor be appropriate for a believer who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

 
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan