Written by: Maulana Abul Hasan Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani
Question:
In Surah Al-Nur, it is stated:
[Surah Al-Nur: 32]
And in Surah Al-Zumar, it is stated:
[Surah Al-Zumar: 53]
In both these verses, the term "عباد" is used in the sense of "servants" or "slaves," not in the sense of worshipers. Therefore, in light of these verses, what is the harm in naming someone 'Abd al-Mustafa, 'Abd al-Rasul, or 'Abd al-Nabi? Please clarify.
Answer:
The word "عبد" (Abd) is a term with multiple meanings. It can mean "worshiper" (عبادت گزار) or "servant" (خادم و غلام). When "عبد" is associated with someone other than Allah, it typically means "servant" or "slave," as seen in the verse in Surah Al-Nur, where "عباد" is linked with the pronoun "كم" (you). However, when it comes to naming, this word is generally used in the context of worship, which makes such usage incorrect because it implies an association with shirk (polytheism). There are several authentic hadiths that specify that when using "عبد" in names, it should be linked only to Allah. As the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"The most beloved names to Allah are 'Abdullah and 'Abd al-Rahman."
[Ibn Majah, Book of Etiquette, Chapter on Names 3728; Muslim 2132]
In these names, "عبد" is associated with "اللہ" (Allah) and "الرحمن" (the Most Merciful), both of which are names of Allah. The Prophet (ﷺ) changed the names that associated "عبد" with other than Allah. For example, as narrated by Imam Ibn Abdul Barr in Al-Isti’ab:
"Abdullah bin Abi Quhafa (Abu Bakr al-Siddiq) was named 'Abd al-Ka'ba during the time of ignorance. The Prophet (ﷺ) changed his name to 'Abdullah."
[Al-Isti'ab: 2/387]
Similarly, ‘Abd al-Rahman bin ‘Awf’s name was ‘Abd ‘Amr or ‘Abd al-Ka'ba in the pre-Islamic era. The Prophet (ﷺ) changed his name to ‘Abd al-Rahman.
Additionally, it is narrated that Abu Huraira's name was 'Abd al-Shams during the time of ignorance, and the Prophet (ﷺ) changed it to 'Abd al-Rahman.
[Al-Isabah: 4/200; Al-Isti'ab: 4/200-207]
In another hadith from Ibn Abi Shaybah, Shurayh bin Hani narrates:
"A delegation came to the Prophet (ﷺ), and he heard them calling a man 'Abd al-Hajar. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked, 'What is your name?' The man replied, 'Abd al-Hajar.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'You are 'Abdullah from now on.'"
[Ibn Abi Shaybah, Book of Etiquette, Chapter on Interpretation of Names 25892]
Furthermore, the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Woe to the worshiper of the dinar, the dirham, and the cloth."
[Ibn Majah, Book of Asceticism, Chapter on the one who accumulates wealth 4135; Bukhari, Jihad and Expeditions, Chapter on Guarding in the Path of Allah 2886]
From these narrations, it is clear that when "عبد" is associated with a name other than Allah, it is used in the context of worship, and the Prophet (ﷺ) changed such names because they carry a connotation of shirk. Even if one does not consider them outright shirk, they at least have a hint of it.
Shah Waliullah (رحمه الله) states:
"Among the practices of shirk was that people would name their children 'Abd al-'Uzza, 'Abd Shams, and similar names. Numerous hadiths confirm that the Prophet (ﷺ) changed the names of his companions from 'Abd al-'Uzza and 'Abd Shams to 'Abdullah and 'Abd al-Rahman. These names are doors and molds of shirk, which the Shariah has prohibited because they are molds of shirk. Allah knows best."
Similarly, among Hanafi scholars, Mulla Ali Qari mentions in his commentary on Mishkat al-Masabih, Mirqat:
"It is not permissible to name someone 'Abd al-Harith or 'Abd al-Nabi, and the widespread practice of these names among people is of no value."
[Mirqat Sharh Mishkat: 8/513, Hadith No. 4752]
Mulla Ali Qari’s explanation makes it clear that naming someone 'Abd al-Harith or 'Abd al-Nabi is not permissible.
Some people argue, based on the verse "قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ" that the Prophet (ﷺ) was commanded to say, "O My servants," which implies that the Prophet (ﷺ) can refer to people as "My servants." This interpretation is completely incorrect and goes against the teachings of the Quran. As Allah states:
[Surah Al-Imran: 79]
In this verse, it is explicitly stated that it is not befitting for a human whom Allah has given the Book, wisdom, and prophethood to say to people, "Be my worshipers instead of Allah's worshipers." This is further supported by the following hadith narrated by Abu Huraira:
"None of you should say, 'My servant' or 'My maidservant.' All of you are servants of Allah, and all your women are maidservants of Allah. Instead, you should say, 'My boy,' 'My girl,' 'My servant,' and 'My maid.' A servant should not say, 'My lord,' but rather, 'My master.'"
[Muslim, Book of Words of Manners, Chapter on the Prohibition of Using Certain Terms 5874-5875]
This hadith makes it clear that it is not permissible for anyone to refer to another person as "my servant" in a sense that implies ownership or worship. The word "عبد" may be used to mean "servant" or "slave," as the hadith indicates. However, associating it with anyone other than Allah is prohibited, as it implies a form of shirk or at least carries its scent.
In the verse "قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ," the command "قُلْ" means that the phrase "يا عبادي" refers to Allah's words, not the Prophet’s (ﷺ) own words, as explicitly clarified in Surah Al-Imran [79] and the mentioned hadith. The entire context of the Quran and the Prophet’s (ﷺ) lifelong mission to steer people away from the worship of anything other than Allah makes it impossible that he would associate "عباد" with himself or approve of names like 'Abd al-Nabi or 'Abd al-Mustafa.
In Surah Al-Nur [32], "عبادكم" indeed refers to servants, as it is used in contrast to "اماء" (female slaves). However, as the hadith mentioned earlier prohibits the use of "عبد" to imply ownership or worship, names like 'Abd al-Mustafa, 'Abd al-Nabi, or 'Abd al-Rasul are impermissible and incorrect. They should not be used under any circumstances.
Question:
In Surah Al-Nur, it is stated:
وَأَنْكِحُوا الْأَيَامَى مِنْكُمْ وَالصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَائِكُمْ
[Surah Al-Nur: 32]
And in Surah Al-Zumar, it is stated:
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّـهِ
[Surah Al-Zumar: 53]
In both these verses, the term "عباد" is used in the sense of "servants" or "slaves," not in the sense of worshipers. Therefore, in light of these verses, what is the harm in naming someone 'Abd al-Mustafa, 'Abd al-Rasul, or 'Abd al-Nabi? Please clarify.
Answer:
The word "عبد" (Abd) is a term with multiple meanings. It can mean "worshiper" (عبادت گزار) or "servant" (خادم و غلام). When "عبد" is associated with someone other than Allah, it typically means "servant" or "slave," as seen in the verse in Surah Al-Nur, where "عباد" is linked with the pronoun "كم" (you). However, when it comes to naming, this word is generally used in the context of worship, which makes such usage incorrect because it implies an association with shirk (polytheism). There are several authentic hadiths that specify that when using "عبد" in names, it should be linked only to Allah. As the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"The most beloved names to Allah are 'Abdullah and 'Abd al-Rahman."
[Ibn Majah, Book of Etiquette, Chapter on Names 3728; Muslim 2132]
In these names, "عبد" is associated with "اللہ" (Allah) and "الرحمن" (the Most Merciful), both of which are names of Allah. The Prophet (ﷺ) changed the names that associated "عبد" with other than Allah. For example, as narrated by Imam Ibn Abdul Barr in Al-Isti’ab:
"Abdullah bin Abi Quhafa (Abu Bakr al-Siddiq) was named 'Abd al-Ka'ba during the time of ignorance. The Prophet (ﷺ) changed his name to 'Abdullah."
[Al-Isti'ab: 2/387]
Similarly, ‘Abd al-Rahman bin ‘Awf’s name was ‘Abd ‘Amr or ‘Abd al-Ka'ba in the pre-Islamic era. The Prophet (ﷺ) changed his name to ‘Abd al-Rahman.
Additionally, it is narrated that Abu Huraira's name was 'Abd al-Shams during the time of ignorance, and the Prophet (ﷺ) changed it to 'Abd al-Rahman.
[Al-Isabah: 4/200; Al-Isti'ab: 4/200-207]
In another hadith from Ibn Abi Shaybah, Shurayh bin Hani narrates:
"A delegation came to the Prophet (ﷺ), and he heard them calling a man 'Abd al-Hajar. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked, 'What is your name?' The man replied, 'Abd al-Hajar.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'You are 'Abdullah from now on.'"
[Ibn Abi Shaybah, Book of Etiquette, Chapter on Interpretation of Names 25892]
Furthermore, the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Woe to the worshiper of the dinar, the dirham, and the cloth."
[Ibn Majah, Book of Asceticism, Chapter on the one who accumulates wealth 4135; Bukhari, Jihad and Expeditions, Chapter on Guarding in the Path of Allah 2886]
From these narrations, it is clear that when "عبد" is associated with a name other than Allah, it is used in the context of worship, and the Prophet (ﷺ) changed such names because they carry a connotation of shirk. Even if one does not consider them outright shirk, they at least have a hint of it.
Shah Waliullah (رحمه الله) states:
"Among the practices of shirk was that people would name their children 'Abd al-'Uzza, 'Abd Shams, and similar names. Numerous hadiths confirm that the Prophet (ﷺ) changed the names of his companions from 'Abd al-'Uzza and 'Abd Shams to 'Abdullah and 'Abd al-Rahman. These names are doors and molds of shirk, which the Shariah has prohibited because they are molds of shirk. Allah knows best."
Similarly, among Hanafi scholars, Mulla Ali Qari mentions in his commentary on Mishkat al-Masabih, Mirqat:
"It is not permissible to name someone 'Abd al-Harith or 'Abd al-Nabi, and the widespread practice of these names among people is of no value."
[Mirqat Sharh Mishkat: 8/513, Hadith No. 4752]
Mulla Ali Qari’s explanation makes it clear that naming someone 'Abd al-Harith or 'Abd al-Nabi is not permissible.
Some people argue, based on the verse "قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ" that the Prophet (ﷺ) was commanded to say, "O My servants," which implies that the Prophet (ﷺ) can refer to people as "My servants." This interpretation is completely incorrect and goes against the teachings of the Quran. As Allah states:
مَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ اللَّـهُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ ثُمَّ يَقُولَ لِلنَّاسِ كُونُوا عِبَادًا لِي مِنْ دُونِ اللَّـهِ
[Surah Al-Imran: 79]
In this verse, it is explicitly stated that it is not befitting for a human whom Allah has given the Book, wisdom, and prophethood to say to people, "Be my worshipers instead of Allah's worshipers." This is further supported by the following hadith narrated by Abu Huraira:
"None of you should say, 'My servant' or 'My maidservant.' All of you are servants of Allah, and all your women are maidservants of Allah. Instead, you should say, 'My boy,' 'My girl,' 'My servant,' and 'My maid.' A servant should not say, 'My lord,' but rather, 'My master.'"
[Muslim, Book of Words of Manners, Chapter on the Prohibition of Using Certain Terms 5874-5875]
This hadith makes it clear that it is not permissible for anyone to refer to another person as "my servant" in a sense that implies ownership or worship. The word "عبد" may be used to mean "servant" or "slave," as the hadith indicates. However, associating it with anyone other than Allah is prohibited, as it implies a form of shirk or at least carries its scent.
In the verse "قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ," the command "قُلْ" means that the phrase "يا عبادي" refers to Allah's words, not the Prophet’s (ﷺ) own words, as explicitly clarified in Surah Al-Imran [79] and the mentioned hadith. The entire context of the Quran and the Prophet’s (ﷺ) lifelong mission to steer people away from the worship of anything other than Allah makes it impossible that he would associate "عباد" with himself or approve of names like 'Abd al-Nabi or 'Abd al-Mustafa.
In Surah Al-Nur [32], "عبادكم" indeed refers to servants, as it is used in contrast to "اماء" (female slaves). However, as the hadith mentioned earlier prohibits the use of "عبد" to imply ownership or worship, names like 'Abd al-Mustafa, 'Abd al-Nabi, or 'Abd al-Rasul are impermissible and incorrect. They should not be used under any circumstances.