Q: I have read your response to the question on women taking the names of their husbands. Would it still be permissible for women to hyphenate her surname? The trend has moved from a women taking her husbands surname to that of hyphenation of her maiden and wedded surname.
A. In relation to the children it will not be permissible to use a hyphenated surname because according to Islam children who are born in wedlock must go under the father’s name only. By using a ‘double-barrelled’ surname that includes the mother’s surname, one will be violating this injunction of Shariah.
Allah commands in the Qur’aan: “And call them on their fathers’s (names); this is more just according to Allah; (Surah Ahzaab, verse 5)
It will be permissible for the wife to have this double-barrel name, but not for her kids
And Allah Ta’aala knows best
Mufti Siraj Desai