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Assabile

بَرَّة

Barra: meaning of the name

Girl Arabic origin Barra

“Pious, kind”, very good to her own

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Barra in Islam

Zaynab bint Abi Salama relates: “My name was Barra; it was said that she was praising herself, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ named me Zaynab” (al-Bukhari 6192). He likewise changed the name of Zaynab bint Jahsh, who was called Barra (Muslim 2142). The masculine barr is also a name of Allah, al-Barr, “the Most Kind” (52:28).

Meaning of the name Barra

Barra is the feminine of barr, “pious, good, kind”, from the root b-r-r of goodness and faithfulness (birr, “filial piety, kindness”): a virtuous, generous woman. Berra is a very popular girls’ name in Turkey. It is also one of the few names that a hadith reports the Prophet ﷺ changed.

In Arabic
بَرَّة برة
Transliteration
Barra
Root
ب ر ر · 32 occurrences in the Quran
Gender
Girl
Origin
Arabic

Is Barra in the Quran?

The name Barra does not appear as such in the Quran, but its root (ب ر ر) occurs 32 times. Examples:

إِنَّا كُنَّا مِن قَبْلُ نَدْعُوهُ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْبَرُّ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ۝٢٨

Indeed, we used to supplicate Him before. Indeed, it is He who is the Beneficent, the Merciful."

Surah At-Tur, Verse 28

إِنَّ ٱلْأَبْرَارَ لَفِى نَعِيمٍ ۝١٣

Indeed, the righteous will be in pleasure,

Surah Al-Infitar, Verse 13

لَّيْسَ ٱلْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ ٱلْمَشْرِقِ وَٱلْمَغْرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَءَاتَى ٱلْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ ذَوِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَٰكِينَ وَٱبْنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَٱلسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَى ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَٰهَدُوا۟ وَٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ فِى ٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَحِينَ ٱلْبَأْسِ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ ۝١٧٧

Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allāh, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakāh; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous.

Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 177

All the words of the root ب ر ر in the Quran (32 occurrences)

In the hadiths

Authentic Sahih Muslim 2142b

I had given the name Barra to my daughter. Zainab, daughter of Abu Salama, told me that Allah's' Messenger (ﷺ) had forbidden me to give this name. (She said): I was also called Barra, but Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Don't hold yourself to be pious. It is God alone who knows the people of piety…

لاَ تُزَكُّوا أَنْفُسَكُمُ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِأَهْلِ الْبِرِّ مِنْكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالُوا بِمَ نُسَمِّيهَا قَالَ ‏"‏ سَمُّوهَا زَيْنَبَ ‏"

Narrated by Zaynab bint Abu Salama + 1 other version

Is this name permissible?

The Prophet ﷺ changed the name Barra to Zaynab, saying: “Do not praise yourselves: Allah knows best who among you is righteous” (Muslim 2142). Many scholars concluded that this name, and names that praise their bearer, are disliked.

al-Bukhari 6192; Muslim 2141, 2142

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.

Writing Barra in each language

French
Barra, Berra
English
Barra, Barrah
Spanish
Barra
Turkish
Berra
Arabic
بَرَّة

Similar names

Same root (ب ر ر)

See also

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