What is your opinion on these names: al-Mahdi, Muhsin, Khalid, 'Abd al-Hadi, 'Abd al-Muttalib, and Abbar?
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The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : What is your opinion on these names: Muhsin, Khalid, Abbar, 'Abd al-Mahdi, and 'Abd al-Mutalib?
The Shaykh : Yes, I say that the name Muhsin, as we mentioned first, if a person intends it as a name and a description, then he should not name his child with it. But if he intends it merely as a name, there is no harm in that. The common practice is that a person intends it merely as a name, because he names him Muhsin even though he has not yet done good, and it is not known whether he will be among the doers of good or among the doers of evil. And so it is with the second name.
The student: Khalid.
The Shaykh : And Khalid is also fine; there is no harm in it. Khalid ibn al-Walid used to fight in front of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he was named the Sword of Allah. So there is no harm in the name Khalid, and there is no harm in the name Salih, yes, because the intention behind these is merely to use them as names.
The student: 'Abd al-Muttalib.
The Shaykh : As for Abbar, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) changed the name Bara to Zaynab. If Bara, who was one person, was changed, what can be said about Abbar? So this name should be changed. Yes.
The student: 'Abd al-Muttalib.
The Shaykh : As for 'Abd al-Muttalib, it is not permissible. This is because making a name meaning "servant of" is not permissible except for Allah. So it is not permissible to name someone 'Abd al-Nabi (Servant of the Prophet), or 'Abd al-Rasul (Servant of the Messenger), or 'Abd al-Ka'bah (Servant of the Ka'bah), or 'Abd al-Muttalib, or anything else that is worshipped other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
If someone were to say: Has it not been established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1688Sahih (Darussalam)?
The answer is: Yes, that is established from him. But he did not name anyone 'Abd al-Muttalib; he merely informed about a name that existed and then ceased. Even if it were assumed that a man had a father named 'Abd al-Muttalib, or named 'Abd al-Nabi, or something similar, a previous father, and he said, "I am so-and-so, the son of 'Abd al-Nabi" or "the son of 'Abd al-Muttalib," there is no harm in that, because he did not create the name; he merely informed about something that passed and ended. For this reason, we find that the Messenger (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) did not change 'Abd al-Muttalib, nor 'Abd Manaf, and I think he did not change 'Abd Shams either, for the reason I mentioned: it is a matter of informing, not a matter of naming and creating.
The Shaykh : Yes, I say that the name Muhsin, as we mentioned first, if a person intends it as a name and a description, then he should not name his child with it. But if he intends it merely as a name, there is no harm in that. The common practice is that a person intends it merely as a name, because he names him Muhsin even though he has not yet done good, and it is not known whether he will be among the doers of good or among the doers of evil. And so it is with the second name.
The student: Khalid.
The Shaykh : And Khalid is also fine; there is no harm in it. Khalid ibn al-Walid used to fight in front of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he was named the Sword of Allah. So there is no harm in the name Khalid, and there is no harm in the name Salih, yes, because the intention behind these is merely to use them as names.
The student: 'Abd al-Muttalib.
The Shaykh : As for Abbar, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) changed the name Bara to Zaynab. If Bara, who was one person, was changed, what can be said about Abbar? So this name should be changed. Yes.
The student: 'Abd al-Muttalib.
The Shaykh : As for 'Abd al-Muttalib, it is not permissible. This is because making a name meaning "servant of" is not permissible except for Allah. So it is not permissible to name someone 'Abd al-Nabi (Servant of the Prophet), or 'Abd al-Rasul (Servant of the Messenger), or 'Abd al-Ka'bah (Servant of the Ka'bah), or 'Abd al-Muttalib, or anything else that is worshipped other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
If someone were to say: Has it not been established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Narrated Abu Ishaq: From Al-Bara' bin 'Azib who said: "A man said to us: 'Did you flee from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) O Abu 'Umarah ?'" He said: "No, By Allah! I did not flee from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), but som hasty people fled and (the tribe of) Hawazin assaulted them with arrows. The Messenger of Allah (Saws) was on his white muls, and Abu Sufyan bin Al-Harith bin 'Abdul Muttalib was holding its reigns. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was saying: 'I am the Prophet without lie, I am the son of 'Abdul-Muttalib.'" [Abu 'Eisa said:] There are narrations on this topic from 'Ali, and Ibn 'Umar.
أنا ابن عبد المطلبThe answer is: Yes, that is established from him. But he did not name anyone 'Abd al-Muttalib; he merely informed about a name that existed and then ceased. Even if it were assumed that a man had a father named 'Abd al-Muttalib, or named 'Abd al-Nabi, or something similar, a previous father, and he said, "I am so-and-so, the son of 'Abd al-Nabi" or "the son of 'Abd al-Muttalib," there is no harm in that, because he did not create the name; he merely informed about something that passed and ended. For this reason, we find that the Messenger (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) did not change 'Abd al-Muttalib, nor 'Abd Manaf, and I think he did not change 'Abd Shams either, for the reason I mentioned: it is a matter of informing, not a matter of naming and creating.