ضِيَاء
Girl or boy Arabic origin Ḍiyāʾ
In the Quran“Bright light, radiance”
The word as it is recited in the Quran: Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary, Yunus 10:5.
The Quran uses it for the sun: “It is He who made the sun a radiance (diyaʾ) and the moon a light (nur)” (10:5), and for the Torah given to Musa and Harun, “a radiance and a reminder for the righteous” (21:48).
Diyaʾ means intense light that shines by itself, like the sun’s, whereas nur rather means received, reflected light according to several commentators. The name is given alone or in compounds: Diyaʾ al-Din, “light of the religion”. In Turkey and South Asia it is pronounced Ziya or Zia.
Yes: the word Diya appears in the Quran 3 times, in 3 surahs.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ ٱلشَّمْسَ ضِيَآءً وَٱلْقَمَرَ نُورًا وَقَدَّرَهُۥ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعْلَمُوا۟ عَدَدَ ٱلسِّنِينَ وَٱلْحِسَابَ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ذَٰلِكَ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ يُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ ٥
It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a derived light and determined for it phases - that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allāh has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know.
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ وَهَٰرُونَ ٱلْفُرْقَانَ وَضِيَآءً وَذِكْرًا لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ٤٨
And We had already given Moses and Aaron the criterion and a light and a reminder for the righteous
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلَّيْلَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ مَنْ إِلَٰهٌ غَيْرُ ٱللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِضِيَآءٍ أَفَلَا تَسْمَعُونَ ٧١
Say, "Have you considered: if Allāh should make for you the night continuous until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allāh could bring you light? Then will you not hear?"
All the words of the root ض و أ in the Quran (6 occurrences)
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Diya 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.
