Ramzan transmissions are currently airing on multiple television channels, where muftis from various Islamic sects and firqas appear on shows and give Islamic points of view and fatwas on different issues. Recently, on Channel 365 Entertainment’s Ramzan transmission, a mufti discussed people deliberately changing or modernizing Islamic names. He also gave his take on Urwa Hocane allegedly changing the spelling of Hussain to Hocane.
Replying to Zohaib Hassan’s question, “Mufti Sahab, what is your opinion on changing one’s name like Urwa changed Hussain to Hocane? Celebrities nowadays are deliberately changing spellings. It is Hussain, but they pronounce it Hocane?”
The Mufti replied, “It is forbidden to call someone by a distorted name. Hocane is no name in Arabic. One should not call others with such names. Ali ibn Abi Talib once saw a person distorting someone else’s name and said that you are doing injustice to him by mispronouncing his name, as it is his right to have his name pronounced correctly because it was given to him by his parents. We should also be careful while keeping Islamic names like Muhammad. Many people avoid naming their child Muhammad because it requires great respect. Likewise, deliberately changing a name is not permissible.” Watch here:
