OBJECTIONS AND ANSWERS TO KEEPING NAMES LIKE ABDUN-NABI

(SERVANT OF NAB), ABDUR-RASOOL, ETC.

OBJECTION 1: Abd' is the root word of Aabid (a person who worsbips1 so Abdun-Nabi will mean "a person who worships the Prophetصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. This b explicit polytheism (shirk). Thus, such a name is prohibited.

Answer - Abd can mean aabid (a person who worships) and khaadirn (a servant). When the word is related to Allahعزوجل, it has the former meaning and when it is joined towards someone other than Allahعزوجل; it has the latter (khaadim-ghulaam). Therefore, Abdun-Nabi means "the slave of the Prophetصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم .Alamghiri states, "Keeping names that are found in the Holy Quran like Ali, Rashid and Badee is permissible because these have collective meanings. When they are used in conjunction to the creation, their meanings, which are not meant for Allahعزوجل , will be expressed." 21.8 - Kitaabul-Karaahiyat, Baabu Tasmiyatul-Aulaad

Allah’sعزوجل name is Ali, and the fourth Khalifa of Islam also has this name. Likewise, Badee, Rashid, etc. are names of Allahعزوجل but can also be names of the creation as well. The connotation of these words will obviously change. So, Abdullah means "the worshipper of Allahعزوجل and Abdun-Nabi means "the servant of the Prophetصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم”. If this interpretation is not made, what meaning will those ayats which we have presented in the previous chapter have?

OBJECTION 2: A Hadith states, "None of you should say. 'Abdi' or 'Ummati" (my servant). All of you are Allah’sعزوجل slaves and so are your women. You should rather say 'Ghulaami' or 'Jaariyati'." 21.9-Mishkaat, Baabul-Adabil-Asaami & Muslim, Vol. 2. Kitaabul-Alfaaz minal-Adab

This proves that supplementing the word 'Abd' (slave) to someone besides Allahعزوجل is contrary to the Ahadith and is effectively Haraam. As a result, Abdun-Nabi is prohibited as a name.

Answer -This stopping is based on a Makrooh-e- Tanzeehi (i.e. saying "Ghulaami" is better than saying "Abdi".) Imaam Nawawi رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ writes in the annotation of this Hadith, "If it is said that one of the signs of Qiyaamat which Rasoolullahصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم spoke -bout is that a slave-girl will give birth to her Rubb (meaning a slave has been called "Rubb"), there are two answers to this,

1. The second Hadith explains permissibility.

2. The first Hadith's prohibition is for etiquette (adab). The Dislike (Karaahat) in this is Tanzeehi, not Tahrimi." - Sharah Sahih Muslim

At the same juncture, Muslim also states “فان قیل قد قال النبی علیہ السلام فی اشراط الساعۃ ان تلد الامۃ ربتھا فالجواب من جھین احدھما ان الحدیث الثانی لبیان الجواز و ان النھی فی الاول للادب و کراھۃ التنزیہ لا لتحریم” and, "Do not call grapes Karam because a Muslim is Karam, 21.l1

A Hadith states, "Haka is Allahعزوجل, i.e. command and authority is His. So why is your name Abul-Hakam (the father of Hakam)?" 21.lla - Mishkaat, Kitaabul· Adab, Baabul-Asaami

Mishkaat records the following, "Do not name your slaves Yasaar, Ribaah, Najeeh or Aflah." 21.12 -Ibid

The prohibition against these names in all of the above Ahadith is based on slight dislike (Karaahat-e-Tanzeehi). Otherwise, there will be a major contradiction between the Quran and the Ahadith. Rubb is Allah’sعزوجل name but the Quran has called the slaves Rubb as well, “کما ربیانی صغیرا”21.13 “فارجع الی ربک”,21.14

If a person calls someone his Murabbi (guardian) or Rubb (master), he doesn't become a polytheist (Mushrik). Yes, if you abstain from this, there no problem because keeping these names is not compulsory.

On the contrary, keeping them to incite the Wahabies or Deobandies of today is a means of much reward, similar to the case of slaughtering a cow in India for Qurbaani (as a demonstration to Hindus).

In the chapter on Fatiha, we have already discussed that the preferred (Mustahab) action which the enemies of the deen try to stop from occurring should definitely be performed.