Is the name "Afra" reprehensible? And did the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, change the name "Afra" to "Khadra" or "Afra" (meaning dust-colored or reddish-brown) to "Khadra" (meaning green)?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The default rule for names is permissibility, unless a text prohibits them. There is no text prohibiting the name "Afra'" (عفراء), and its meaning is: pure white. As for "Afrah" (عفرة), the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, changed it to "Khadra'" (خضرة), because "Afrah" describes barren land that does not produce vegetation, so he changed it as an optimistic gesture towards greenery and vegetation.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/31414
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 31414
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy