The Book of Manners and Etiquette — Hadith 5443

Arabic Text

حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْثَرٌ، عَنْ حُصَيْنٍ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ أَبِي الْجَعْدِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ وُلِدَ لِرَجُلٍ مِنَّا غُلاَمٌ فَسَمَّاهُ مُحَمَّدًا فَقُلْنَا لاَ نَكْنِيكَ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى تَسْتَأْمِرَهُ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ وُلِدَ لِي غُلاَمٌ فَسَمَّيْتُهُ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّ قَوْمِي أَبَوْا أَنْ يَكْنُونِي بِهِ حَتَّى تَسْتَأْذِنَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ سَمُّوا بِاسْمِي وَلاَ تَكَنَّوْا بِكُنْيَتِي فَإِنَّمَا بُعِثْتُ قَاسِمًا أَقْسِمُ بَيْنَكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

English Translation

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that a child was born to one of the persons amongst us and he decided to give him the name of Muhammad We said: We will not allow you to give the name after the name of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) until you ask him (the Holy Prophet). So he (that person) came and said (to the Holy Prophet): A child was born in my house and I wanted to give him the name (of Muhammad) after the name of Allah's Messenger, whereas my people did not allow me that I should name him after that (sacred) name until I have asked Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) in this connection, whereupon he said: Give him the name after my name, but do not call him by my kunya, for I have been sent as a Qasim as I distribute amongst you.