About Me

My photo
Hussam has been a lifelong human rights activist who is passionate about promoting democratic societies, in the US and worldwide, in which all people, including immigrants, workers, minorities, and the poor enjoy freedom, justice, economic justice, respect, and equality. Mr. Ayloush frequently lectures on Islam, media relations, civil rights, hate crimes and international affairs. He has consistently appeared in local, national, and international media. Full biography at: http://hussamayloush.blogspot.com/2006/08/biography-of-hussam-ayloush.html

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

BABY GIRL AYLOUSH IS BORN. We need your help with the name

Today, my wife Arwa, my kids and I were blessed with a beautiful Ramadan gift from God. Our fourth child was born. Both mother and baby are healthy, Alhamdulillah (praises be to God)

I want to thank all of you who had been calling and emailing to offer your prayers and congratulations. I am currently spending the night at the hospital with Arwa and the baby.

Meanwhile, I need your help. We decided on a name, but we can't seem to agree on the spelling.

We need your help.
We decided to name her Safiyya after the name of the wife of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Our other girls are named after two other wives, Aisha and Marya. Our son is named Omar, after the great companion of the Prophet. In case you missed the pattern, Aisha was Muslim, Marya was Christian, and Safiyya was Jewish when the Prophet married them. Indeed a gesture of respect taught to us by the Prophet.


Here is where we need your help. We are debating how to spell Safiyya's name. Please pick one one of the following options and send us your suggestion by email to: ayloush@usa.net

1. Safiyya
2. Safiya
3. Sophia
4. Sofia

We are counting on you.
Feel free to forward it to others to solicit their suggestion. We have to choose the name by Thursday.

Thank you in advance.

Updated on Thursday, Oct. 19.
Thank you. We received dozens of suggestions from friends and family, mostly recommending the name Safiyya because it is original and it best allows for our preferred pronounciation. So we went ahead with Safiyya.
Thank you all again for your prayers and good wishes. My family and I are very grateful.

May Allah/God bless you all and your families.
I will be posting a few of the many good wishes we received from many of you who could not post it on the blog because they did not have a blog account. (What are you waiting for?)

32 comments:

Umm Belaal said...

Mabrook! I liek Safiyya

IcedClaws said...

Mabrook Hussamel Arab,
Nshalla btitrabba b3izzak.
Sophia in my opinion...cause in arabic it can be spelled "Sob7iyya"...got it?

By the way I got a new born last month named her Yasma (the elder is Assyl), both old arabic adjective names.

Regards,
Hadi

Anonymous said...

Salaams,



Since you specified how you want it pronounced (saf-ee-ya), I definitely go with 1. Safiyya.



If you go with Sophia or Sofia, they will say her name the normalway

sabiha said...

Mabrook! She is beautiful MA. May Allah make her among the Saliheen and make her parents proud. Great choice on Safiyya!

sabiha said...

Mabrook! May Allah make her among the Saliheen and make her parents proud! Good job on naming her Safiyya - beautiful name....and she was born on my birthday! :)

Mr. White's Math Class said...

Congratulations. It is my hope that Almighty God allows you and your family to have peace and harmony in this time of personal joy.

Regarding the name, i really feel it is your family decision. You will make the right choice. i have not doubt, and i am sure she feels the same way, :-)

Morris

Asma said...

alf mabrook!!! masha'Allah beautiful baby!

roy said...

congratulations!
May God fulfill all of the promise that you see when you look into her eyes.

Baraa said...

Salams Hussam!

Alf alf mabrook. May Allah bless her and her family with good health.

As for the name, my cousin's name is Safiah (that's how she spells it), but she recommends spelling it Safiyah. Besides, I don't think there is a point in putting to y's because there is no "shaddeh" in English. So even if you put two y's, those who don't speak Arabic will not know what that means.

Wassalam!
-Baraa K.

Anonymous said...

As salaamu alaikum,
Am I to understand that congradulations and mabruke are in order for you and your family. Please know that your whole family are in my thoughts and prayers.
Sofia is such a beautiful name. May Allah shower her and mom with many blessings as well as the whole family.

May Allah continue to guide us on His saratul mustaqeem.

Sister Haqiqah

Anonymous said...

Warmest congratulations and best wishes, Hussam. Only 6 months ago I became a grandparent.
Jeff Parker

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Hussam on the birth of Safiyya.

You and your wife are blessed!

In Peace,
Fr. Wilfredo

Anonymous said...

Hi Hussam,

She is so sweet ;-) May God bless her and your family. Thank you for sharing the pictures with me.

Joumana Silyan-Saba

City of Los Angeles Human Relations Commission

Anonymous said...

EID MUBARAK!

Also our congratulations on your new baby!

Aftab & Nazli

Anonymous said...

Dear Hussam:

Congratulations! I am so happy for you and I really like the name you chose.

Salaam-

Jill Davis

Anonymous said...

May God grant both you and your wife as well as your new daughter many years of happiness and blessings!

Father Alexei Smith

Anonymous said...

FANTASTIC!!! Thank you for sending me the picture.I am sure she will be another fighter for justice like her Dad!!

Bob Marshall

Anonymous said...

MABROOOOOOOOOOOK. Beautiful name! One of my favorites. Please send a big mabrook and salam to your wife. Inshallah she is recouperating well. Happy Eid to you and your family.

Nicole

Anonymous said...

May Safiyyah's name be for a blessing as we welcome her into our community of faith..May we work and struggle together to make this world and our community safe for her and all of our children and grandchildren... giving them hope for the future.. God Bless You,
Shalom,
Rabbi Steven Jacobs

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Hussam, for sharing your family's joy that you have been blessed with the miracle of Safiyya.

Since you are a novice let me give you a piece of good

advice: enjoy your children, love them and let them love you in that they grow up too quickly! May the divine angels

keep her always safe and healthy.

Amin David
Los Amigos

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on the birth of the beautiful little girl, to be named Safiyya or Sofia. I love the first pronunciation, however it would be interesting to know the Hebrew pronunciation. She will be pleased with your choice! I do admire your inclusion of the community in her naming.

Peace and God's constant attention is my prayer for your family.

Judy Mader

Anonymous said...

i think SOFIA is a wonderful name for such a wondrously beautiful baby.....congratualations and may you and yours be blessed with good health.....clarita

Anonymous said...

We have never met, yet I celebrate with you tonight the birth of your daughter. I celebrate the spirit in which you have shared news of her arrival and the greeting of peace you and your wife have sent to the world in the naming of your children. I am by profession and faith, a Lutheran pastor, by the Spirit kin to you and yours. I wish you well, good days of joy with your whole family, and hopefully a bit of sleep in the next 6 weeks!! Thank you for what I have learned from you through your e-mails and for your persistent actions for justice and peace for Muslims and all people.

Salaam/peace/shalom,

Rev. Janet H.M.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on the arrival of your new baby girl, Safiyya. Here's hoping we can all work together to create the kind of America that she deserves--a country of unlimited opportunity, of freedom and diversity, and respect for religious liberty. Our children deserve nothing less.

Again, congratulations! May God bless you and your family!

Anonymous said...

PRAISE GOD THE ALMIGHTY CREATOR AND SUSTAINOR OF ALL THAT IS, HAS BEEN, AND WILL BE. YOUR BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER IS INDEED A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM HIM, AND I REJOICE WITH YOU THAT BOTH YOUR WIFE AND NEW DAUGHTER ARE DOING WELL.

NAMING YOUR OTHER CHILDREN AFTER SOME OF THE MOST SPIRITUAL BEINGS IN HUMAN HISTORY ONCE AGAIN REFLECTS NOT ONLY YOUR OWN HEART FOR PEACE AND HARMONY AMONG THE CHILDREN OF IBRAHIM, BUT THE SPIRIT OF TRUE ISLAM .

MY SALAAM TO YOU AND YOUR DEAR FAMILY.

DR. BAKER

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your blessing (Safiyya) with me.
Life is so precious!

Fr Ed Poettgen

Anonymous said...

Mazel Tov, Congratulations Hussam to you and your family on the birth of Safiyya. What a lovely name and what lovely pictures!

May Safiyya know a life filled with love & joy, health & happiness, prosperity & contentment, and above all, Shalom/Salaam/Peace.

L'Shalom,

Rabbi Mark B. Goldfarb

Anonymous said...

Congratulations, Brother Hussam and best wishes to you, your wife, and the family, for your new arrival!

We spent that week in Orlando, Florida with my husband and his grand-daughter and family as that was his birthday wish as well!!

May God continue to smile upon you and your family and Safiyya is a beautiful name for your new-born!!!

Mrs. Choon :-)

IPCavH323 said...

Hala Wallah,
Alf Mabrouk Ya Abu Omar,
Let this Baby a Rahamat and Mercy from Almighty Allah Tabarakallah.
I hope calling Safiyya is nice to here and also the Arabic Version name. May allah Bestow his Graciousness on this Baby Safiyya.

Lyn Stevens, South Africa said...

Having arrived at yr blog whilst searching for the meaning of "Alf Mabrouk", I was fascinated to read about your beloved Prophet and his wives. Why, oh why can't we all try and live by the standards established already and love and tolerate one another, and others beliefs!?!? You have inspired me Mr Ayloush - Alf Mabrouk!! Lyn Stevens

Hussam Ayloush said...

Lyn,

Thank you for your very kind words.
I certainly share your hopes for a peaceful world.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.