Chapter 47: To have Respect for the Names of Allah and the changing of One’s Name for this purpose — Explanation of Kitāb at-Tawhid of Imām Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhāb

Chapter 47: To have Respect for the Names of Allah and the changing of One’s Name for this purpose — Explanation of Kitāb at-Tawhid of Imām Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhāb 09/12/2025 Abu Khadeejah Abdul-Wahid Books, Kitāb at-Tawheed, Names & Attributes, Tawheed Comments Off on Chapter 47: To have Respect for the Names of Allah and the changing of One’s Name for this purpose — Explanation of Kitāb at-Tawhid of Imām Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhāb In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. The Text of the Chapter Shaikhul-Islam Muhammad Ibn Abdul-Wahhāb said: It is reported from Abu Shurayh that he was known by the kunyah or nickname, “Abul-Hakam”, i.e., the father of judgements. So, after hearing this, the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to him: إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَكَمُ وَإِلَيْهِ الْحُكْمُ فَلِمَ تُكْنَى أَبَا الْحَكَمِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ إِنَّ قَوْمِي إِذَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِي شَىْءٍ أَتَوْنِي فَحَكَمْتُ بَيْنَهُمْ فَرَضِيَ كِلاَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ مَا أَحْسَنَ هَذَا فَمَا لَكَ مِنَ الْوَلَدِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ لِي شُرَيْحٌ وَمُسْلِمٌ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ فَمَنْ أَكْبَرُهُمْ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ شُرَيْحٌ قَالَ ‏”‏ فَأَنْتَ أَبُو شُرَيْحٍ “Indeed Allah, He is the Judge and to Him returns the judgment. So why are you nicknamed Abul-Hakam?” Abu Shurayh said, “My people come to me when they differ in an issue, so I judge between them, and both parties would be happy with my judgment.“ So, the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Indeed, that is good! Do you have any children?” He replied, “I have Shurayh, Muslim and ʿAbdullah.” The Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Who is the eldest of them?” He replied, “Shurayh.” Then the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “In that case, you are Abu Shurayh.” (Abu Dawood, no. 4955; graded saheeh by al-Albānī in as-Saheehah, no. 2726) Explanation This Hadeeth encourages changing the name of one whose name resembles a name of Allah. Abu Shurayh al-Khuzā’ī (Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam), and he used to have the kunyah Abul-Hakam. So, the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to him, “Indeed Allah, He is the Judge and to Him returns the judgment.” Then the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked him regarding his children, so he informed him. Then, the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) changed his kunyah to Abu Shurayh. Due to this, we can see that it is obligatory to have respect for the Names of Allah (the Most High), and not to go beyond bounds in anything to do with resemblance to Allah (the Most High). One of the names of Allah are al-Hakam and al-ʿAdl (the Judge, the Just), and Allah (the Most High) has said regarding His names: وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا ۖ وَذَرُوا الَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ ۚ سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ “And the most beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny His Names. They will be requited for what they used to do.” (Surah al-’Arāf 7:180) It is permissible to share with the Names of Allah in that for which there is permission from the texts, such as Malik, Ra’oof and others for which there is a text indicating permissibility. This Hadeeth also establishes for us that it is from the Sunnah to give oneself a kunya even — and that is even if one does not have children. The Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to ‘A’ishah (radiyallahu ‘anha), ‘Take the kunya of your nephew.’ So she had the kunyah, Umm ʿAbdillah, due to her nephew, the son of Asma bint Abi Bakr and az-Zubayr. If one does have children, then it is the custom that one takes the kunyah of the eldest child. Read also: Describing and naming people using the Attributes of Allah for the creation such as al-Azeez, al-Adheem, al-Kareem and so on. Is this something that contradicts the Aqeedah, or is it permissible? (Imām Ibn Bāz) The complete hadeeth: حَدَّثَنَا الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ، – يَعْنِي ابْنَ الْمِقْدَامِ بْنِ شُرَيْحٍ – عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، شُرَيْحٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، هَانِئٍ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا وَفَدَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَعَ قَوْمِهِ سَمِعَهُمْ يَكْنُونَهُ بِأَبِي الْحَكَمِ فَدَعَاهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏”‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَكَمُ وَإِلَيْهِ الْحُكْمُ فَلِمَ تُكْنَى أَبَا الْحَكَمِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ إِنَّ قَوْمِي إِذَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِي شَىْءٍ أَتَوْنِي فَحَكَمْتُ بَيْنَهُمْ فَرَضِيَ كِلاَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ مَا أَحْسَنَ هَذَا فَمَا لَكَ مِنَ الْوَلَدِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ لِي شُرَيْحٌ وَمُسْلِمٌ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ فَمَنْ أَكْبَرُهُمْ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ شُرَيْحٌ قَالَ ‏”‏ فَأَنْتَ أَبُو شُرَيْحٍ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ شُرَيْحٌ هَذَا هُوَ الَّذِي كَسَرَ السِّلْسِلَةَ وَهُوَ مِمَّنْ دَخَلَ تُسْتَرَ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَبَلَغَنِي أَنَّ شُرَيْحًا كَسَرَ بَابَ تُسْتَرَ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ مِنْ سِرْبٍ ‏.‏ “Hāni ibn Yazeed—who is the son of Miqdām, the son of Shurayh—who narrated from his father (i.e., Miqdām), who narrated from his grandfather (i.e., Shurayh), who narrated from his father (Abu Shurayh Hāni) that: When Hāni went with his people in a deputation to the Messenger of Allah (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasaallam), he (the Prophet) heard them calling him by his kunyah, Abul-Hakam. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) called him and said: “Indeed Allah, He is the Judge and to Him returns the judgment. So why are you nicknamed Abul-Hakam.” He replied, “My people come to me when they differ on an issue so I judge between them, and both parties would be happy with my judgment.” So, the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Indeed, that is good! Do you have any children?” He replied, “I have Shurayh, Muslim and ʿAbdullah.” The Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Who is the eldest of them?” He replied, “Shurayh.” Then the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “In that case, you are Abu Shurayh.” Abu Dawud said: This is the Shurayh who broke the chains and entered Tustar. I have been told that Shurayh broke the gate of Tustar, and he entered it through a tunnel.” From Al-ʿAllāmah Shaikh Ahmad Ibn Yahyā An-Najmi’s (rahimahullāh) explanation with added notes by Abu Khadeejah. سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت، أستغفرك وأتوب إليك الحمد لله رب العالمين وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم This article was transcribed by Umm Maryam (may Allah reward her) from the classes of Abu Khadeejah. Please share it with others.