Excerpted from: Aḥkām wa Masā’il – In the Light of Qur’an and Sunnah by Shaykh Mubashar Ahmad Rabbānī
If someone is named ʿAbd al-Bāsit or ʿAbd al-Matīn, is it permissible to address them as just Bāsit or Matīn?
Bāsit (ٱلْبَاسِطُ) and Matīn (ٱلْمَتِينُ) are among the Beautiful Attributes (Ṣifāt Ḥamīdah) of Allah ﷻ. When a person is named ʿAbd al-Bāsit or ʿAbd al-Matīn, the word “ʿAbd” (servant) is connected (muḍāf) to the Attribute of Allah, meaning “Servant of al-Bāsit” or “Servant of al-Matīn”.
Therefore, the full name should be used when addressing such individuals.
Calling them by just “Bāsit” or “Matīn” should be avoided, as it can imply divine attribution, which is inappropriate.
It has unfortunately become a common practice in many communities to shorten names incorrectly. In some cases, people distort names to such an extent that their original meanings are lost.
The Qur’ān has explicitly forbidden calling people by distorted or offensive nicknames.
Hence, we must call one another by their correct and complete names, with due respect to their meaning and origin.
✔ Avoid addressing someone named ʿAbd al-Bāsit as merely Bāsit, or ʿAbd al-Matīn as just Matīn.
✔ Always use the full name to maintain the sanctity of the divine attribute.
✔ Preserve the dignity and original form of names, as instructed in the Qur’an.
❖ Question:
If someone is named ʿAbd al-Bāsit or ʿAbd al-Matīn, is it permissible to address them as just Bāsit or Matīn?
❖ Answer:
Bāsit (ٱلْبَاسِطُ) and Matīn (ٱلْمَتِينُ) are among the Beautiful Attributes (Ṣifāt Ḥamīdah) of Allah ﷻ. When a person is named ʿAbd al-Bāsit or ʿAbd al-Matīn, the word “ʿAbd” (servant) is connected (muḍāf) to the Attribute of Allah, meaning “Servant of al-Bāsit” or “Servant of al-Matīn”.
Therefore, the full name should be used when addressing such individuals.
Calling them by just “Bāsit” or “Matīn” should be avoided, as it can imply divine attribution, which is inappropriate.
✦ Cultural Concern:
It has unfortunately become a common practice in many communities to shorten names incorrectly. In some cases, people distort names to such an extent that their original meanings are lost.
The Qur’ān has explicitly forbidden calling people by distorted or offensive nicknames.
Hence, we must call one another by their correct and complete names, with due respect to their meaning and origin.
Conclusion:
✔ Avoid addressing someone named ʿAbd al-Bāsit as merely Bāsit, or ʿAbd al-Matīn as just Matīn.
✔ Always use the full name to maintain the sanctity of the divine attribute.
✔ Preserve the dignity and original form of names, as instructed in the Qur’an.
Reference:
- Qur’ānic Instruction: Prohibition of distorted or mocking nicknames
- Linguistic structure of muḍāf–muḍāf ilayh (possessive construction in Arabic)
