بَرَكَة
Girl Arabic origin Baraka
Female CompanionIn the Quran“Blessing”, the abundance of good that comes from Allah
The word as it is recited in the Quran: Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary, Al-A’raf 7:96.
Baraka, better known as Umm Ayman, was an Abyssinian servant of the Prophet’s family ﷺ; she cared for the Prophet ﷺ as a child, and he later freed her. Mother of Usama ibn Zayd, she was an honoured Companion: after the Prophet’s death ﷺ, Abu Bakr and ʿUmar used to visit her as he had done (Muslim 2454).
Baraka comes from the root b-r-k and means blessing: the abundance and permanence of good that Allah gives. The Quran uses the word for the blessings of heaven and earth promised to the believers (7:96). In Turkish, bereket has entered everyday language; as a name it is mostly feminine in the Arab world.
Yes: the word Barakah appears in the Quran 3 times, in 2 surahs.
وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱتَّقَوْا۟ لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَٰكِن كَذَّبُوا۟ فَأَخَذْنَٰهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ ٩٦
And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allāh, We would have opened [i.e., bestowed] upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning.
قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَعْجَبِينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ رَحْمَتُ ٱللَّهِ وَبَرَكَٰتُهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ ٱلْبَيْتِ إِنَّهُۥ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ ٧٣
They said, "Are you amazed at the decree of Allāh? May the mercy of Allāh and His blessings be upon you, people of the house. Indeed, He is Praiseworthy and Honorable."
قِيلَ يَٰنُوحُ ٱهْبِطْ بِسَلَٰمٍ مِّنَّا وَبَرَكَٰتٍ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰٓ أُمَمٍ مِّمَّن مَّعَكَ وَأُمَمٌ سَنُمَتِّعُهُمْ ثُمَّ يَمَسُّهُم مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ٤٨
It was said, "O Noah, disembark in security from Us and blessings upon you and upon nations [descending] from those with you. But other nations [of them] We will grant enjoyment; then there will touch them from Us a painful punishment."
All the words of the root ب ر ك in the Quran (32 occurrences)
Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: After the Prophet's death, Abu Bakr said to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them): "Let us visit Umm Ayman, just as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to visit her." When they came to her, she…
انْطَلِقْ بِنَا إِلَى أُمِّ أَيْمَنَ نَزُورُهَا كَمَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَزُورُهَا . فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيْنَا إِلَيْهَا بَكَتْ فَقَالاَ لَهَا مَا يُبْكِيكِ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِرَسُولِهِ صلى…
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Barakah in particular: the general rules of Islam apply.
Read the rules for choosing a name
This page is an aid to reflection, not a fatwa. For a personal case, ask a person of knowledge.
