A man amongst us begot a boy whom he named Al-Qasim. On that the Ansar said, (to the man), "We will never call you Abu-al-Qasim and will never please you with this blessed title." So, he went to the Prophet and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I have begotten a boy whom I named Al-Qasim and the Ansar said, 'We will never call you Abu-al-Qasim, nor will we please you with this title.' " The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Ansar have done well. Name by my name, but do not name by my Kunya, for I am Qasim."
Hadith Text and Context
This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 77, Hadith 95) describes a companion who named his son Al-Qasim, prompting the Ansar to object to him being called Abu-al-Qasim (father of Qasim).
The companion brought this matter to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who affirmed the Ansar's position, permitting the use of his name Muhammad but prohibiting the use of his kunya (patronymic) Abu-al-Qasim.
Scholarly Commentary
Classical scholars explain this prohibition stems from the unique honor and distinction of the Prophet's kunya. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in Fath al-Bari states this was to prevent confusion in addressing the Prophet ﷺ and to maintain the special respect attached to his patronymic.
Imam al-Nawawi in Sharh Sahih Muslim clarifies that while using the name "Muhammad" is permitted out of love for the Prophet, using his exact kunya could lead to misunderstanding or diminish the distinctive honor reserved for Allah's Messenger.
Legal Ruling and Application
The majority of scholars derived from this hadith the ruling of makruh (disliked) to use the exact kunya "Abu-al-Qasim" for anyone other than the Prophet ﷺ during his lifetime and after his death.
However, scholars note this prohibition applies specifically to the combination "Abu-al-Qasim" and doesn't extend to other kuniya (patronymics). The wisdom behind this ruling preserves the unique identity and honor of the Final Prophet.
Spiritual Significance
This teaching demonstrates the balance between expressing love for the Prophet through naming children after him, while maintaining proper etiquette and avoiding anything that might compromise his unique status.
The Ansar's sensitivity to this matter reflects their deep understanding of prophetic honor and their commitment to preserving the distinctions that elevate the Messenger above all other creation.