Hadith 2143

حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الْأَشْعَثِيُّ ، وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ ، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ ، وَاللَّفْظُ لِأَحْمَدَ ، قَالَ الْأَشْعَثِيُّ : أَخْبَرَنَا ، وقَالَ الْآخَرَانِ : حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ ، عَنْ الْأَعْرَجِ ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، عن النبي صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : " إِنَّ أَخْنَعَ اسْمٍ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ رَجُلٌ تَسَمَّى مَلِكَ الْأَمْلَاكِ " ، زَادَ ابْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ ، لَا مَالِكَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ، قَالَ الْأَشْعَثِيُّ : قَالَ سُفْيَانُ : مِثْلُ شَاهَانْ شَاهْ ، وقَالَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ : سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَمْرٍو ، عَنْ أَخْنَعَ ، فَقَالَ : أَوْضَعَ .
Abu Hurairah (RA) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: The vilest name in Allah's sight is Malik al-Amidh (King of Kings). The narration transmitted on the authority of Shaiba (contains these words): There is no king but Allah, the Exalted and Glorious. Sufyan said: Similarly, the word Shahinshah (is also the vilest appellation). Ahmad bin Hanbal said: I asked Abu 'Amr about the meaning of Akhna. He said: The vilest.
Hadith Reference صحيح مسلم / كتاب الآداب / 2143
Hadith Grading محدثین: أحاديث صحيح مسلم كلها صحيحة
Hadith Takhrij «أحاديث صحيح مسلم كلها صحيحة»
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حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ ، قال : هَذَا مَا حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ، عن رسول الله صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَذَكَرَ أَحَادِيثَ مِنْهَا ، وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " أَغْيَظُ رَجُلٍ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ، وَأَخْبَثُهُ وَأَغْيَظُهُ عَلَيْهِ ، رَجُلٍ كَانَ يُسَمَّى مَلِكَ الْأَمْلَاكِ لَا مَلِكَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ " .
Abu Hurairah (RA) reported from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) so many ahadith and one of them was this that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: The most wretched person in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection and the worst person and target of His wrath would of the person who is called Malik al-Amlak (the King of Kings) for there is no king but Allah.
Hadith Reference صحيح مسلم / كتاب الآداب / 2143
Hadith Grading محدثین: أحاديث صحيح مسلم كلها صحيحة
Hadith Takhrij «أحاديث صحيح مسلم كلها صحيحة»
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Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
"Akhn'a" means "most abased":
The most humiliated,
according to Khalil.
"Afjar":
The worst,
disgraceful.

Benefits and Issues:
Imam Sufyan rahimahullah has translated "Malik al-Muluk" as "Shahan Shah,"
which is a Persian term,
the purpose of which is to clarify that not only is "Malik al-Muluk" the most abased and worst name,
but any name in any language that carries this meaning and concept holds the same ruling,
such as "Khaliq al-Khalq" (Creator of creation),
"Ahkam al-Hakimeen" (Most Just of judges),
"Sultan al-Salateen" (Sultan of sultans),
"Amir al-Umara" (Commander of commanders), and according to some, every name that is specific to Allah Ta'ala,
holds the same ruling,
such as "Jabbar" (Compeller),
"Qahhar" (Subduer),
"Rahman" (Most Merciful),
"Quddus" (Most Holy), etc.
Therefore, according to the Shari'ah, it is not permissible to adopt such names.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 5610
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:

The word "Akhna" means extremely worst, extremely vile. The worst and most vile name is that people call someone "King of Kings." Those who bear such names will be the worst people on the Day of Resurrection.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 6205
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
The esteemed scholars have also declared it impermissible to be called or to call someone "Qadi al-Qudat" (Chief Judge) in the aforementioned manner.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 4961
Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim bin Basheer
Benefit:
In this hadith, one of the attributes of Allah Ta'ala is mentioned, and that is «ملك الا ملاك», which in Urdu is called "Shahenshah" (Sovereign/King of Kings). That is, even the wealthiest person in the world should not be called "Shahenshah"; only Allah Ta'ala is the true Shahenshah. Furthermore, it is not permissible to interpret (ta'wil), liken (tashbih), specify the modality (takyeef), or deny (ta'til) the attributes of Allah Ta'ala.
Source: Musnad al-Humaydi: Commentary by Muhammad Ibrahim bin Bashir, Page: 1159