I have heard that on the Day of Judgment the Almighty would call their children by their mothers’ names. Is this correct? I have also heard that people will be called after the names of their names on the Day of Judgement. Please explain.

There are different sayings ascribed to the Prophet (sws) in this regard. According to some, children would be called by the names of their fathers and while others say that they will be called by the names of their mothers. Bukhārī and other compilers of the sayings of the Holy Prophet (sws) have quoted narratives part of which clearly say that on the Day of Judgment people will be called ‘such person son of such person’1. This clearly shows that people will be called by the names of their fathers. The narrative, which, says that people will be called by the names of their mothers is not that authentic and is not mentioned by the famous scholars of Hadīth. The text follows:

Ishāq Ibn Ibrāhīm reported on the authority of Marwān Ibn Mu‘āwiyyah who reported from Hamīd who reported from Anas that the Prophet said: ‘People will be called by the names of their mothers’2.

Before stating the narrative, the compiler has made it clear that the Ishāq Ibn Ibrāhīm is not a reliable narrator. He writes:

Ishāq Ibn Ibrāhīm, lived in Sanā. Ibni ‘Adī said: ‘He is Munkiru’l-Hadīth’ (one whose report is not accepted because of his faltering memory and bad character).3

As is obvious from the above information, the report carries many flaws and is considered to be a concocted one. Therefore, it would be inappropriate to ascribe it to the Holy Prophet (sws). The narrative is only mentioned in some books, which deal with the lives of those who reported something from the Prophet (sws) as the authors of books referred to above.

As regards the matter of people being called in the names of their Lord (or leader or Prophet or others which one follows in religious matters), I think you are referring to the following Qur’ānic verse:

Keep in mind the day when we will call every group with their respective imams. (17:71)

The verse has nothing to do with the calling people by the names of somebody on the Day of Judgment. It states that people will be called to account along with their leaders in religious matters for example Prophets and Messengers or other religious leaders.

1. Bukhārī, Nos: 5823-4

2. Dhahbī, Mizānu’l-I‘tidāl Fī Naqd-i-Rijāl, CD Edition vol.1, p. 327 / Ibn Hajr, Lisānu’l-Mīzān,  CD Edition, vol. 1, p. 344 

3. Ibid.