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 -
صَفَاء
Girl Arabic origin Ṣafāʾ
“Purity, clearness, serenity”
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).
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.
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 -
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?
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.
All the words of the root ص ف و in the Quran (17 occurrences)
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.