E- Inappropriate Names:
161. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “Do not name your children Hakam and Abu al-Hakam, for Allah is the Hakam (Arbitrator).”1
162. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “Do not name your son: Yasār, Rabāh, Najih, or Aflah.”2
163. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “The worst names are: Dirār, Murrah, Harb, and Zālim.”3
164. Majma‘ al-Zawā'id, narrating from ‘Abd al-Rahmān ibn Abu Sabrah who said: “My father and I went to the Prophet (s.a.w.). He asked my father: “Is this your son?”
He answered: “Yes.”
He (s.a.w.) asked: “What is his name?”
He answered: “al-Hubāb.”
He (s.a.w.) said: “Do not call him al-Hubāb, for al-Hubāb is Satan, but rather call him ‘Abd al-Rahmān.”4
165. al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir, narrating from Ibn Buraydah from his father who said: “The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) prohibited anyone to be called Kalb (dog) or Kulaib.”5
F- The Reason for the Prohibition of Certain Names:
166. Sunan Abu Dāwud, narrating from Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn ‘Atā' who said: “Zainab bint Abu Salamah asked him [Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn ‘Atā']: “What did you name your daughter?”
He said: “I named her Barrah (Righteous).”
She said: “Verily, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) reproached this name: I was named Barrah and the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said: “Do not admire yourselves. Allah is more aware of the righteous ones among you.”
They said: “Then what do we call her?”
He answered: “Name her Zainab!”6
1.. ‘Ilal al-Sharā'i‘, p. ۵۸۳, h. ۲۳, narrating from Imām ‘Ali (a.s.). Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۷۶, p. ۱۷۵, h. ۲.
2.. Sahih Muslim, vol. ۳, p. ۱۶۸۵, h. ۱۲. Sunan Abu Dāwud, vol. ۴, p. ۲۹۰, h. ۴۹۵۸. Both narrating from Samarah ibn Jundab. Kanz al-‘Ummāl, vol. ۱, p. ۴۶۵, h.۲۰۲۳.
3.. al-Khisāl, p. ۲۵۰, h. ۱۱۸, narrating from Jābir from Imām al-Bāqir (a.s.). Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۱۰۴, p. ۱۲۷, h. ۲.
4.. Majma‘ al-Zawā'id, vol. ۳, p. ۳۰۶, h. ۴۶۷۷.
5.. al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir, vol. ۲, p. ۲۳, h. ۱۱۶۳. Kanz al-‘Ummāl, vol. ۱۶, p. ۴۲۴, h. ۴۵۲۳۴.
6.. Sunan Abu Dāwud, vol. ۴, p. ۲۸۸, h. ۴۹۵۳. al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir, vol. ۲۴, p. ۲۸۰, h.۷۰۹.
