Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Mercy-Giving.

All praise is due to Allah. Peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Allah the Almighty says in the Qur’an what means, “[As to adopted children,] you shall call them by [the names that disclose the paternity of] their [natural] fathers. Such [attribution] is fairest [to them] in the sight of God.” (Al-Ahzab 33:5)

Muslim scholars, thus, are in agreement that a child may not be attributed to the mother except in the case of illegitimate children. Even on the Day of Resurrection people will be called by their fathers’ names.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, “On the Day of Resurrection you will be called by your names and by your fathers’ names, so give yourselves good names.” (Abu Dawud)

This attribution to the father and his lineage entails rights and duties prescribed by the Shari`ah based on such attribution.

Hence, to give a child the mother’s surname goes in contradiction with the Shari`ah principles and objectives in this regard.

Almighty Allah knows best.