Bearing the name 'Nabiyyah'

The first question of Fatwa no. ( 17325 ) All praise be to Allah Alone, and peace and blessings be upon the Last of the Prophets. To proceed:The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' has viewed the letter sent to His Eminence, the Grand Mufty, from His Excellency, Assistant Chief of Al-Qunfudhah Courts and Chief of Hisbah (regulation of economic, commercial, and public matters) Da`wah (call to Allah) no. 733, dated 24/8/1415 A.H., which was referred to the Committee from the Secretariat General of the Council of Senior Scholars no. 3488, dated 13/8/1415, and His Eminence posted the following question which reads:I would like to inform Your Eminence that many people in this town and the coastal district give their female children the name of (Nabiyyah) (i.e. female Prophet). The origin of this name is an unlawful belief. There were some people who called themselves Al-Sadah (i.e. Masters) and people believed that those people could bring benefit and cause harm without the Help of Allah (Exalted be He), which is major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship that takes the Muslim out of Islam). Those so-called Masters would give their female children the name of Nabiyyah to delude the ignorant persons. This belief, Al-hamdu lillah (All praise is due to Allah), no longer exists but the name is still used. I hope that (Part No. 10; Page No. 505) you will issue a Fatwa in this regard.

After studying the request for Fatwa, the Committee maintains that it is not permissible to give a woman the name of Nabiyyah (i.e. female Prophet) or to give a man the name of Naby (i.e. male Prophet) because this name is confined to Allah's Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon them) who ended with Muhammad (peace be upon him). Allah (Glorified be He) says: Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allâh and the last (end) of the Prophets. If a female has this name (i.e. Nabiyyah), it is obligatory to change it to another one such as Nabiha, Safiyyah or the like.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.