The Muslim Name Giving Ceremony - Tasmiya The Muslim name giving ceremony, known in Arabic as tasmiya, has its origins in the practices of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him).
Later some local cultural practices and traditions were added to adorn and beautify this important ceremony.
The Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him) taught us that children should be given good and beautiful names, which have positive meanings. It is one of the rights of children to be given a good name. Once a man complained to Umar, the second Caliph of Islam, about the disobedience of his son. Umar spoke to the boy about his disobedience to his father and of his neglect of his rights. The boy asked: “Hasn’t a child rights over his father? To which Umar replied: “Certainly, he should choose his mother, give him a good name and teach him the Quran.”
Names which have negative meanings should be avoided. The boy in the above story had been given the Arabic name Ju’alan, which means dung beetle or scarab.
The Quran, the primary source of Muslim guidance, the word of Allah, teaches us not to call people by offensive nicknames.
The name giving ceremony as it has developed in our local custom is symbolic. The rituals the Imam who names the child performs symbolises the five pillars on which Islam is built.