نَائِلَة
Girl Arabic origin Nāʾila
“She who obtains, who attains”; also “the generous one”
Naʾila bint al-Furafisa, wife of ʿUthman ibn ʿAffan, threw herself over him to protect him when he was murdered in his house, and lost fingers doing so, according to historians. The Quran uses the root: “You will never attain (tanalu) righteousness until you spend from what you love” (3:92).
Naʾila is the feminine of naʾil, active participle of nala, “to obtain, to attain” (root n-y-l); the neighbouring root n-w-l gives nawal, “gift”, hence also the sense “she who gives”. The name is borne in memory of Naʾila bint al-Furafisa, wife of the caliph ʿUthman. It is common in the Middle East, the Maghreb and Pakistan.
The name Naila does not appear as such in the Quran, but its root (ن ي ل) occurs 12 times. Examples:
لَن تَنَالُوا۟ ٱلْبِرَّ حَتَّىٰ تُنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا۟ مِن شَىْءٍ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٌ ٩٢
Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allāh] from that which you love. And whatever you spend - indeed, Allāh is Knowing of it.
لَن يَنَالَ ٱللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَآؤُهَا وَلَٰكِن يَنَالُهُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ مِنكُمْ كَذَٰلِكَ سَخَّرَهَا لَكُمْ لِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ٣٧
Their meat will not reach Allāh, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you. Thus have We subjected them to you that you may glorify Allāh for that [to] which He has guided you; and give good tidings to the doers of good.
وَإِذِ ٱبْتَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ رَبُّهُۥ بِكَلِمَٰتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ قَالَ إِنِّى جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِى ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ١٢٤
And [mention, O Muḥammad], when Abraham was tried by his Lord with words [i.e., commands] and he fulfilled them. [Allāh] said, "Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people." [Abraham] said, "And of my descendants?" [Allāh] said, "My covenant does not include the wrongdoers."
All the words of the root ن ي ل in the Quran (12 occurrences)
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Naila 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.
