Muslim name

In Islam, it is obligatory to give the name to men and women ^[3] . When naming a child, it is desirable that the name should have a good meaning, contain fewer letters and be easy in the language, be quick-remember and be appropriate and appropriate to the social environment ^[4] .

Al-Mawardi in his book “Nasyhat al-Muluk” says:

If a child is born, then one of the first manifestations of piety towards him will be to equip him with a good name and a noble, good Kunya. Truly, a good name leaves a mark on souls at the very first moment it is heard.

- Al-Mawardi. Nasyhat al-Muluk . - p. 167.

The best of the names are considered " Abdullah " ("Slave of Allah") and " Abdurrahman " ("Slave of the Merciful"). According to the Hadith of Mohammed , who was transferred by Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj and Abu Dawood , these names are the most beloved of Allah . It is known that the Prophet Mohammed called the son of his uncle Abbas Abdullah . The first Muhajir child, who was born in Medina , was named by this name ( Abdullah ibn Zubayr ). Among the associates of Mohammed were about 300 people who bore this name ^[5] .

Immediately after these names follow the names that are built on the principle " Abd + one of the names of Allah." It is considered commendable to name the child in this way, however, the Shi'i - Rafidite undesirable names “Abd al-Malik” and “Abd al-Aziz” (names of Umayyad caliphs). Also among the Shiites the name “Abdurrahman” is undesirable, because the murderer of Ali ibn Abu Talib was called Abdurrahman ibn Muljam ^[5] .

Next in honor are the names of the prophets and messengers . It is known that Mohammed himself named his son “Ibrahim” ^[6] and son Abu Musa al-Ashari . In the name of "Yusuf" he called the son of Abdulah ibn Salyam ^[7] . Islamic theologians are unanimous that it is allowed to give children the names of prophets and messengers, but there was disagreement about the name “Muhammad” because of the ban of Umar ibn al-Khattab . But Ibn Hajar al-Askalani cites information that he subsequently refused this opinion ^[8] . Said Ibn Kayim Jauzia :

It is correct that it is allowed to call him by name, and it is forbidden to make yourself a kunya, like his marten. The ban during his life more stringent. Combining his name and kunyu is forbidden ^{[comm. 1] [9]} .

Interestingly, the first person named one of the names of Muhammad - "Ahmad" - was Ahmad al-Farahidi al-Basri, father of the famous Khalil al-Farahidi , who was born at the end of the first century Hijri. Prior to this, no one by that name was called ^{[10] [11] [12]} .

It is also advisable to give children the names of the companions of Mohammed and other Islamic saints. Al-Mugira ibn Shuba reported that Muhammad said: "They (the Companions) call (their children) the names of the prophets and the righteous after them" ( Sahih Muslim ) ^[13] .

Forbidden are considered names that mean something bad or forbidden according to Sharia, or are such because of the peculiarities of pronunciation. Also, names that praise or, on the contrary, curse their carriers are prohibited.

Ibn Jarir al-Tabari said:

It is not fitting to be called a name with a bad meaning or a name that has a praise, or a name with an abusive meaning, even if it is just the name of a person and does not mean his true features. However, it will be bad if someone hears such a name and thinks that this is the quality of the name. Therefore, the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) changed the name to such, the meaning of which with regard to the owner of the name was true.

- Ibn Hajar al-Askalani "Fath al-Bari" (10/476)

Forbidden names include:

• Names like “Abd Shams” (“Slave of the Sun”), “Abd ar-Rasul” (“Slave of the Prophet”), “Abd al-Hussein” (“Slave of Hussein (ibn Ali) ”), etc. due to paganism that is contained in them.
• Names that only Allah is allowed to call. For example, “ar-Rahman”, “al-Khalik” (“Creator”), “al-Mumit” (“The Killing One”), etc.
• Names that contain assimilation to non-Muslims , that is, invented by them and characteristic of them ^[14] .
• Names of idols . For example, “Uzza”, “Manat”, “Al-Lat”, etc.
• Names that contain self-praise and lies. For example, Malik al-Amlyk (King of Kings), Sultan al-Salatin (Sultan of All Sultans), Shahinshah ( Shah of All Shahs), etc.
• Names of devils. For example, Hinzab, al-Avar, al-Walhan, al-Ajda, and others. ^[15]

In 2014, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Saudi Arabia published a list of 50 names that are prohibited from giving to children of citizens of the country. Unwanted names are divided into three categories:

• affecting religious feelings: Nabi (prophet), Abdu n-Nabi (servant of the prophet), Djibril (angel Gabriel), Iman (faith)
• associated with royal rule: Amir (prince), Sumuv (highness), Malik (king), Malik (queen), al-Mamlyak (kingdom).
• “Non-Islamic” and “non-Arab”: Linda, Sandy, Larin, Alice, and others ^[16] .

• Those are undesirable names that cut hearing due to meaning or sound. For example, “Kharb” (“War”), “Khanjar” (“Dagger”), “Khiyam” (the name of the disease of camels), etc.
• Lustful and passionate names are undesirable. For example, “Gad” (a young girl who walks with a proud enticing gait), “Fatin” (seducing with her beauty), etc.
• Undesirable names that indicate sin or disobedience. For example, “Zalim” (“Tiran”), “Sarraq” (“Thief”), etc.
• The names of bad animals are also undesirable. For example, “Khanash” (“Snake”), “Himar” (“Donkey”), “Kalb” (“Dog”), etc.
• Names like “word + ad-Din / al-Islam” are undesirable. For example, “Rukn ad-Din” (“pillar of religion”), “Nur al-Islam” (“Light of Islam”), etc., due to the greatness of these two concepts (“Din” and “Islam”). It is known that an-Nawawi did not like when he was called “Muhi ad-Din” (“Religious Reviver”), and Ibn Taymiyya did not like the nickname “Taqi ad-Din” (“Righteous Religion”). The first person who is so named is Bach-ud-Daula ibn Baveih (Rukn ad-Din).
• Double names (eg, “Muhammad Ahmad”) that create confusion are undesirable.
• Many theologians considered undesirable the naming of angels . For example, “ Djibril ”, “ Mikayil ”, “ Israfil ”, etc.
• Many theologians considered undesirable the naming of the surahs of the Koran . For example, "Ya Sin", "Ta Ha", etc.

If a person’s name has a bad meaning, contains assimilation to non-Muslims, that is, is one of the forbidden or undesirable names (see sections above), then it is considered mandatory to change this name to a more desirable and harmonious one. From the reports of Muhammad it is known that he changed bad names for better ones ^[17] .

The Arabic name Muhammad and its derivatives are the most popular male name among Muslims. At the beginning of the XXI century, the name Mohammed became the most popular in some European countries (Great Britain, Belgium) ^[18] . The ten most popular male names in Belgium, in addition to the name Mohammed, also included Amin , Ayub and Mehdi . Among the popular female names in Belgium are Aija , Yasmin and Salma . ^[19] .

• Bakr Abu Zeid. Name of the child = تسمية المولود. - 3. - Riyadh : Dar al-Asyma, 1995. - ISBN 9960-749-46-0 .
• Gafurov A. G. Name and history. On the names of Arabs, Persians, Tajiks and Turks. Vocabulary. - M .: Science , 1987. - 215 p. - 15 000 copies
• Salahuddin Ahmed. A Dictionary of Muslim Names. - London: Hurst & Company, 1999.
• Rahman SA A Dictionary of Muslim Names. - New Delhi: Goodword Books, 2001.

• Male Muslim Names (Unsolved) . Goomer Library. The appeal date is May 5, 2013. Archived May 17, 2013.