Fatwa

Arabic Brand Name ‘Samawi’

Question

Salam. I have asked a similar question in the past but wanted to ask about different possibilities for names for my clothing brand. The previous questions was: “Fatwa #1586”.  My new question is a little different, as I am asking about other possible names.

This is the question: I’m making woman’s dress brand&want to give the brand Arabic name but don’t want the name to be offensive to Islam.The clothing isn’t Islamic.It is fitted to body&shows arms.Can I name brand that doesn’t sell Islamic clothing something that means “heavenly,” like “Samawi”?If not,how about a name that means object in paradise[like flower from Paradise (example: Eeshal]?If not,a name that means something good like “noble” or “just” like “Sharifa” ?If not,a pretty name that has a nice meaning but doesn’t mean something from heaven,like it means “leader” like “Ra’eda”/”queen” like “Malika”?

Can you please help with this?  I want an Arabic name for the brand and need to find one to be put on all the dresses that are made before selling them. Also, I need to trademark the brand name before the clothing line is released, so people don’t steal my intellectual property.

I hope you’re well. Please help me. Jazakhallah Khair.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

The Arabic language possesses a virtue that other languages are deprived of i.e. it is the language of the Holy Quran. However, this does not mean that one must give up using the language out of fear of ‘abuse’. Ofcourse, if one is cautious in its appropriate usage due to honouring the Holy Quran and the speech of Almighty Allah, he/she will be highly rewarded.

Think of any Arab country and then think of ‘marketing’ in these lands. Would it really be possible without the use of the local language? Accordingly, it is permissible to brand your clothes with any of the generic words you have mentioned. Given that your line of clothing would not necessarily be Islamic clothing, it would be better to avoid specific honoured names that are found in the Quran and Hadith, for example, the names of prophets, angels, the names of the doors of Jannah, the names of specific trees in Jannah etc.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Bilal Pandor

Concurred by
Mufti Muhammad Patel

Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah
Lusaka, Zambia

www.daruliftaazambia.com