Author: Abu Raef
The Role of Muslims in the Formation and Development of Science (Part 71)
The beauty of names and titles
Another important aspect of the civilization of Islam is its special attention to naming individuals and its efforts to make these names meaningful and good. When we look at the life of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), we find that on various occasions he changed names that did not have correct meanings, and replaced them with names that had better and higher meanings and messages.
So it can be said that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) paid great attention to beauty, even in the names of those who embraced Islam. Many authentic and good narrations have been narrated that if he did not like a name, he would change it to a better name; As narrated by Hazrat Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): «غَيَّرَ النَّبِي صلی‌الله‌علیه‌وسلم اسْمَ عَاصِيَةَ، وَقَالَ: أَنْتِ جَمِيلَةُ» Translation: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) changed the name of «عاصیه» (meaning sinner), and said: You are «جمیله» (meaning beautiful). [1]
The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also changed the name of ‘Zahm ibn Ma’bad al-Sudosi to ‘Bashir.’ [2] Similarly, Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) named his son ‘Hassan’ as ‘Harb’, but the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) named him ‘Hassan.’ Then he also named Sayyedena Hussain (may Allah be pleased with him) as ‘Harb’, but the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) named him Hussain. [3]
He also changed the name of “Asram” to “Zara’ah”, and the name of “Abu Al-Hakam” to “Abu Shurayh”. He also changed the names of “Al-Aas”, “Aziz”, “Atlah”, “Shaitan”, “Al-Hakam”, “Ghurab”, “Hubab” and “Shihab”; for example, Shihab to Hisham, “Harb” to “Salam”, “Al-Muztaja’ to “Al-Munba’eth”, a land called “Ufra” to “Khuzra”, a region called “Sha’b Al-Dalala” to “Sha’b Al-Huda”, and the tribe of “Ban al-Zaniyah” to “Bani Al-Rushda”. He also called “Bani Maghwiyyah” to “Bani Al-Rushda”. [4]
it can be understood that he did not only change the names of individuals, but also changed the name of a region or tribe if it did not have a good and correct meaning.
Also, Imam Bukhari (may Allah bless him) narrated from Saeed bin Musayyib (may God be pleased with him) from his father that: «أَنَّ جَدَّهُ حَزْنًا قَدِمَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلی‌الله‌علیه‌وسلم فَقَالَ: مَا اسْمُكَ؟ قَالَ: اسْمِي حَزْنٌ. قَالَ: بَلْ أَنْتَ سَهْلٌ. قَالَ: مَا أَنَا بِمُغَيِّرٍ اسْمًا سَمَّانِيهِ أَبِي. قَالَ ابْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ: فَمَا زَالَتْ فِينَا الْحُزُونَةُ بَعْدُ» Translation: “His grandfather (Hazn) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He asked: “What is your name?” He said: “Hazn (Sadness). He said: “Rather, you are Sahl (Easy).” He said: “I will not change the name that my father gave me.” Ibn Musayyib said: “So Sadness remained in our family forever.” [5]
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) guided his Ummah in the matter of names and their selection and said: «أَحَبُّ الْأَسْمَاءِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَبْدُ اللهِ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَأَصْدَقُهَا حَارِثٌ وَهَمَّامٌ، وَأَقْبَحُهَا حَرْبٌ وَمُرَّةٌ» Translation: “The most beloved names to Allah are Abdullah and Abdul-Rahman, the most truthful of them are Harith and Hommam, and the ugliest of them are Harb and Murrah”. [6]
The reason is that the first part of these names has very good and pleasant meanings, and the second part has meanings that are considered evil, fighting, and bitterness.
As we mentioned before, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) even changed the names of some places; for example, when he migrated to Medina, its name was “Yathrib” and he changed it to “Tayyibah”. He disliked places that Had unpleasant names and avoided passing through them. For example, when he was passing between two mountains during one of his expeditions, he asked: What are the names of these two? They said: “Fazeh” and “Mukhaz.” After that, he turned away and did not pass through them. [7]
He always recommended that if someone is sent as a messenger, his name and face should be good, for this reason he said: “إِذَا أَبْرَدْتُمْ إِلَى بَرِيدًا؛ فَابْعَثُوهُ حَسَنَ الْوَجْهِ، حَسَنَ الاسْمِ” Translation: “Whenever you send a messenger, send him with a good face and a good name.” [8]
In Islamic history, the titles of caliphs, sultans, ministers, and princes appeared with a combination of beauty and power. Whereas in ancient empires, titles only indicated dominance and power, and their purpose was to create fear and terror. Islam forbade such arrogant titles, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “أَخْنَى الأَسْمَاءِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عِنْدَ اللهِ رَجُلٌ تَسَمَّى مَلِكَ الأَمْلاكِ” Translation: “The most contemptible of names in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection is a man who calls himself Malik al-Amlak (King of Kings).” [9]
Therefore, the caliphs and sultans chose their titles with combinations that were attributed to Allah. The first person to do so was the eighth Abbasid caliph, Al-Mu’tasem Billah. Then, after him, titles such as “Al-Mutawakkel Billah”, “Al-Musta’een Billah”, “Al-Muntaser Billah”, “Al-Muqtader Billah”, “Al-Mustanser Billah”, “Al-Musta’asem Billah”, “Al-Musta’zi Bi Noor Allah”, “Al-Nasser Le din Allah” and … emerged.
And among ministers, princes, scholars and commanders, titles such as “Nur al-Din”, “Najm al-Din”, “Shams al-Din”, “Ziya al-Din”, “Shahab al-Din”, “Badr al-Din”, “Saif al-Din”, “Salah al-Din”, “Qalb al-Din”, “Husam al-Din”, “Sadr al-Din”, “Fakhr al-Din”, “Izz al-Din”, “Rokn al-Din” and the like became popular. [10]
Thus, beauty in names and titles was a sign that was reflected throughout Islamic civilization and showed that its beauty and elegance had penetrated every detail.
Continues…
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References:
- Muslim: 2139.
- Abu Dawud: 3230.
- Bukhari: 823.
- What did Muslims give to the world? P. 672.
- Bukhari: 5836.
- Bukhari: 4950.
- What did Muslims give to the world? P. 673.
- Al-Tabarani in Al-Uwsat, 7/367.
- Bukhari: 5852.
- What did Muslims give to the world? P. 673.
