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صَفَاء

Safaa: meaning of the name

Girl Arabic origin Ṣafāʾ

“Purity, clearness, serenity”

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Safaa in Islam

The noun safaʾ is not in the Quran, but its root is: Allah “chose (istafa) Adam, Nuh, the family of Ibrahim and the family of ʿImran above the worlds” (3:33), and Paradise has “rivers of purified (musaffa) honey” (47:15).

Meaning of the name Safaa

Safaʾ is the verbal noun of safa, “to be pure, clear, untroubled” (root s-f-w): the purity of clear water, and figuratively serenity of heart and sincerity of friendship. It should not be confused with al-Safa, the hill of Mecca (see Safa). The name is very common in Morocco (Safae) and throughout the Arab world.

In Arabic
صَفَاء صفاء
Transliteration
Ṣafāʾ
Root
ص ف و · 17 occurrences in the Quran
Gender
Girl
Origin
Arabic

Is Safaa in the Quran?

The name Safaa does not appear as such in the Quran, but its root (ص ف و) occurs 17 times. Examples:

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰٓ ءَادَمَ وَنُوحًا وَءَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَءَالَ عِمْرَٰنَ عَلَى ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ ۝٣٣

Indeed, Allāh chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of ʿImrān over the worlds -

Surah Ali ’Imran, Verse 33

مَّثَلُ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِى وُعِدَ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ فِيهَآ أَنْهَٰرٌ مِّن مَّآءٍ غَيْرِ ءَاسِنٍ وَأَنْهَٰرٌ مِّن لَّبَنٍ لَّمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ طَعْمُهُۥ وَأَنْهَٰرٌ مِّنْ خَمْرٍ لَّذَّةٍ لِّلشَّٰرِبِينَ وَأَنْهَٰرٌ مِّنْ عَسَلٍ مُّصَفًّى وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ كَمَنْ هُوَ خَٰلِدٌ فِى ٱلنَّارِ وَسُقُوا۟ مَآءً حَمِيمًا فَقَطَّعَ أَمْعَآءَهُمْ ۝١٥

Is the description of Paradise, which the righteous are promised, wherein are rivers of water unaltered, rivers of milk the taste of which never changes, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of purified honey, in which they will have from all [kinds of] fruits and forgiveness from their Lord... [Are its inhabitants] like those who abide eternally in the Fire and are given to drink scalding water that will sever their intestines?

Surah Muhammad, Verse 15

أَفَأَصْفَىٰكُمْ رَبُّكُم بِٱلْبَنِينَ وَٱتَّخَذَ مِنَ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ إِنَٰثًا إِنَّكُمْ لَتَقُولُونَ قَوْلًا عَظِيمًا ۝٤٠

Then, has your Lord chosen you for [having] sons and taken [i.e., adopted] from among the angels daughters? Indeed, you say a grave saying.

Surah Al-Isra, Verse 40

All the words of the root ص ف و in the Quran (17 occurrences)

Is this name permissible?

No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Safaa 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.

Writing Safaa in each language

French
Safae, Safaa, Safaâ
English
Safaa, Safaa
Spanish
Safaa
Turkish
Safaa
Arabic
صَفَاء

Similar names

Same root (ص ف و)

See also

Tuesday, October 13, 2026 2 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ