The Book of Manners and Etiquette

كتاب الآداب

Chapter 1: The Prohibition Of Taking The Kunyah Abul-Qasim, And The Names Which Are Recommended

Anas reported that person at Baqi' called another person as" Abu'l- Qasim," and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) turned towards him. He (the person who had uttered these words) said

Messenger of Allah, I did not mean you, but I called such and such (person), whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: You may call yourself by my name, but not by my kunya.

Ibn Umar reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

The names dearest to Allah are 'Abdullah and 'Abd al-Rahman.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that a child was born to a person amongst us and he gave him the name of Muhammad. Thereupon his people said

We will not allow You to give the name of Muhammad (to your child) after the name of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). He set forth with his son carrying him on his back and came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), and said: Allah's Messenger a son has been born to me and I have given him the name after the name of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Give him my name but do not give him my kunya, for I am Qasim in the sense that I distribute (the spoils of war) and the dues of Zakat amongst you.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that a child was born to one of the persons amongst us and he decided to give him the name of Muhammad We said

We will not allow you to give the name after the name of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) until you ask him (the Holy Prophet). So he (that person) came and said (to the Holy Prophet): A child was born in my house and I wanted to give him the name (of Muhammad) after the name of Allah's Messenger, whereas my people did not allow me that I should name him after that (sacred) name until I have asked Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) in this connection, whereupon he said: Give him the name after my name, but do not call him by my kunya, for I have been sent as a Qasim as I distribute amongst you.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Husain With the same chain of transmitters but no mention is made of these words

" (I have been sent as a distributor), so I distribute amongst you."

Jabir b. Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Give the name after my name, but do not give (the kunya of Abu'l-Qasim after my) kunya, for I am Abu'l-Qasim (in the sense) that I distribute amongst you (the spoils of war) and disseminate the knowledge (of revelation). This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Bakr but with a slight variation of wording.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of A'mash with the same chain of transmitters but there is a slight variation (of wording) that, instead of the word Bu'ithat (I have been sent), the word ju'ilat (I have been made) has been used.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that a child was born to a person from the Ansar and he made up his mind to give him the name of Muhammad. He came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and, asked him (about it), whereupon he said

The Ansar have done well to give the name (to your children) after my name, but do not give them the kunya after my kunya.

This hadith has been narrated through different chains of transmitters on the authority of Shu'ba with a slight variation of wording.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported

A child was born in the house of a person amongst us, and he gave him the name of Qasim. We said: We will not allow you (to give the name) to your child as Qasim (and thus adopt the kunya of Abu'l-Qasim) and coal your eyes. He (that person) came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and made a mention of that to him, whereupon he said: Call your son 'Abd al-Rahman.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Ibn Uyaina, but there is no mention of this

" We will not allow you to cool your eyes."

Abu Huraira reported that Abu'l-Qasim (ﷺ) said

Give name (to your children) after my name but do not give the kunya (of Abu'l- Qasim) after my kunya. 'Amr reported from Abu Huraira that he did not say that he had heard it directly from Allah's Apostle (ﷺ).

Mughira b. Shu'ba reported

When I came to Najran, they (the Christians of Najran) asked me: You read" O sister of Harun" (i. e. Hadrat Maryam) in the Qur'an, whereas Moses was born much before Jesus. When I came back to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) I asked him about that, whereupon he said: The (people of the old age) used to give names (to their persons) after the names of Apostles and pious persons who had gone before them.

Chapter 2: It Is Disliked To Use Objectionable Names And Names Such As Nafi' (Beneficial) Etc

Samura b. Jundub reported

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade us to give names to our servants as these four names: Aflah (Successful), Rabdh (Profit), Yasar (Wealth), and Nafi' (Beneficial).

Samura b. Jundub reported AUah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Don't give names to your servants as Rabdh, 'Ya ar, Aflah and Nafi'.

Samura b. Jundub reported

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said "The dearest phrases to Allah are four: Subhan Allah (Hallowed be Allah), Al-Hamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), La ilaha illa-Allah (There is no deity but Allah), Allahu Akbar (Allah is Greater). There is no harm for you in which of them begin with (while remembering Allah). And do not give these names to your servants: Yasar and Rabah and Najih and Aflah.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Shu'ba and there is no mention but of the fact about giving the name to the servant and there is no mention of the four expressions (of remembrance) and he did not mention the four words

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) decided to forbid (his followers) to name persons as Ya'la (Elevated), Baraka (Blessing), Aflah (Successful), Yasar and Nafi', but I saw that he kept silent after that and he did not say anything until Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) died. And he did not forbid (his followers to do this), then 'Umar decided to prohibit (people) from giving these names, but later on gave up the idea.

Chapter 3: It Is Recommended To Change Bad Names To Good Names, And To Change The Name Barrah To Zainab, Juwayriyah And The Like

Ibn 'Umar reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) changed the name of 'Asiya (Disobedient) and said

You are Jamila (i. e. good and handsome). Ahmad (one of the narrators) narrated it with a slight variation of wording.