Title: Can a Woman Keep her Maiden Name After Marriage? Question: Please let me know if sisters keep their maiden names after marriage or take their husband's name. Please provide daleel [religious basis of the stated opinion] on this. Answer: Changing the maiden name of a woman after her marriage is more of a social tradition rather than a religious directive. From the Islamic perspective, therefore, a woman may or may not change her maiden name after her marriage. As far as the basis of my opinion is concerned, it is primarily the lack of any basis to the contrary. It should be understood that it would be the responsibility of the person who believes that Islam requires a woman to change her name after marriage, to provide positive bases for his opinion. Obviously, in the absence of a clear directive of the Shari`ah to the effect that a woman must change her name after marriage, the logical opinion would be that Islam has neither recommended nor prohibited a change in a woman's maiden name after her marriage. 5 th February 2000