هِبَة
Girl Arabic origin Hiba
“Gift”, a present given freely
The noun hiba is not in the Quran, but its verb recurs in the prayers of the prophets: Zakariyya asks “Grant me (hab li) from Yourself an heir” (19:5), Ibrahim praises Allah “who has granted me (wahaba li), in old age, Ismaʿil and Ishaq” (14:39), and the believers pray: “Grant us mercy from Yourself; You are the Bestower (al-Wahhab)” (3:8).
Hiba is the verbal noun of wahaba, “to give freely, to bestow” (root w-h-b, that of al-Wahhab, “the Bestower”, a name of Allah): a gift made expecting nothing in return. A child is said to be a hiba from Allah. The name is very common in the Maghreb, Egypt (Heba) and Pakistan.
The name Hiba does not appear as such in the Quran, but its root (و ه ب) occurs 25 times. Examples:
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ ٨
[Who say], "Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.
وَإِنِّى خِفْتُ ٱلْمَوَٰلِىَ مِن وَرَآءِى وَكَانَتِ ٱمْرَأَتِى عَاقِرًا فَهَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا ٥
And indeed, I fear the successors after me, and my wife has been barren, so give me from Yourself an heir
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى وَهَبَ لِى عَلَى ٱلْكِبَرِ إِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ إِنَّ رَبِّى لَسَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ ٣٩
Praise to Allāh, who has granted to me in old age Ishmael and Isaac. Indeed, my Lord is the Hearer of supplication.
All the words of the root و ه ب in the Quran (25 occurrences)
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Hiba 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.
