جَمِيلَة
Girl Arabic origin Jamīla
Female Companion“Beautiful”, from the root of beauty (jamal)
Ibn ʿUmar reports that a daughter of ʿUmar was called ʿAsiya (“disobedient”) and that the Prophet ﷺ named her Jamila (Muslim 2139): an example of the care he gave to the meaning of names. He also said: “Allah is beautiful (jamil) and He loves beauty” (Muslim 91).
Jamila is the feminine of jamil, “beautiful”, from the root j-m-l of beauty (jamal). The beauty the word expresses is that of the face, but also that of deeds: the Quran praises “beautiful patience” (sabrun jamil, 12:18) and “gracious forgiveness” (al-safh al-jamil, 15:85). A name widespread throughout the Muslim world, it is written Djamila in Algeria and Cemile in Turkey.
The name Jamila does not appear as such in the Quran, but its root (ج م ل) occurs 11 times. Examples:
وَجَآءُو عَلَىٰ قَمِيصِهِۦ بِدَمٍ كَذِبٍ قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ ١٨
And they brought upon his shirt false blood. [Jacob] said, "Rather, your souls have enticed you to something, so patience is most fitting. And Allāh is the one sought for help against that which you describe."
وَمَا خَلَقْنَا ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَإِنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ لَـَٔاتِيَةٌ فَٱصْفَحِ ٱلصَّفْحَ ٱلْجَمِيلَ ٨٥
And We have not created the heavens and earth and that between them except in truth. And indeed, the Hour is coming; so forgive with gracious forgiveness.
فَٱصْبِرْ صَبْرًا جَمِيلًا ٥
So be patient with gracious patience.
All the words of the root ج م ل in the Quran (11 occurrences)
فَسَمَّاهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم جَمِيلَةَ .
لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ كِبْرٍ " . قَالَ رَجُلٌ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَكُونَ ثَوْبُهُ حَسَنًا وَنَعْلُهُ حَسَنَةً . قَالَ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَمِيلٌ يُحِبُّ…
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Jamila 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.
