ANSWER:

Your in laws have no right in keeping the name of your baby! This right is only of the baby’s father, he can consult you in this matter and name the child.

If you took Allah’s name and made an oath to keep that name and it so happened that it wasn’t kept then you should offer the kaffārah. If this oath was made in your mind but you did not verbalize it, it is not binding and there is no kaffarah for it.

QUESTION: I’m pregnant, and I promised Allah while praying for a child that if I have a boy, I’d name him —– or —–. However, my in-laws insist on naming him —. My husband said he will try to convince them, but if they disagree, we will go with —. Since I promised Allah to name him —– or —–, will it be a sin on me if we are forced to change the name to —?”