Newborn named 鈥淛ihad鈥� investigated in Toulouse
Parents of a newborn baby named 鈥淛ihad鈥� are under investigation by the Mairie (town hall) of Toulouse into whether the name is acceptable or fair on the child.
Born in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne, Occitanie) on 2 October to parents living in L茅guevin, west of the city centre, the baby is now the subject of a debate over whether his name is 鈥渃ontrary to his own interests鈥�, as French media .
In defense of the name, Muslim commentators have reminded the public that 鈥渏ihad鈥� does not actually mean what many in the media suggest - the 鈥渉oly war鈥� associated with terrorism - and etymologically is more aligned to the words 鈥渆ffort鈥� or 鈥渟truggle鈥�.
鈥溾�楯ihad鈥� does not mean 鈥榟oly war鈥�,鈥� explained Abderrahmane Oumachar, co-founder of the Toulouse Centre for Muslim Spirituality (Centre toulousain de la spiritualit茅 musulmane), speaking to .
鈥淭his word actually means the effort people make to do good work, such as a doctor who saves lives. It has nothing to do with the image spread by the media, or of that practiced by criminals who invoke Islam.鈥�
And yet, he concedes that 鈥渢his name risks being misunderstood, which could damage the child鈥檚 development and integration [into society]鈥�.
Article 57 of the civil code in France specifies that parents are able to give their children any name they like, but it must not been seen to be contrary to the child鈥檚 interests.
Now, authorities in Toulouse are looking to put the case before a public judge specialising in family issues, who will rule definitively on whether it will be acceptable.
The official French administration website states that 鈥渋n the absence of a new choice of name by the parents, the judge may offer another name鈥�.
The issue comes soon after a similar case in 2016, in which a couple decided to call their child 鈥淢ohamed Merah鈥�. Two months later, the parents conceded, and changed the name themselves.
