KEEPING NAMES LIKE ABDUN-NABI (SERVANT OF THE PROPHET ,) ETC To keep names like Abdun-Nabi, Abdur-Rasool, Abdul-Mustapha, Abdul-Ali,

li, etc. is permissible. Similarly, to call yourself the servant (banda) of the Holy Prophet is also allowed. This is proven from the Quran, Hadith and rulings of the Jurists. However, there are some people who refute this. IN PROOF OF DOING SO The Holy Quran states, "And make Nikah of those who have not married, and your slaves and slavegirls who are virtuos.,21.1- Surah Noor, Verse 32 Here, 'Ibaad' supplements (muzaaf) the pronoun 'Kum', meaning "Your Slaves." "(O My Beloved ) Say: "O my slaves who have been oppressive upon themselves, do not be hopeless of Allahs mercy "21.1a - Surah Zumr, Perse 53 There are two possibilities that arise from "O my slaves", 1. It is either Allah saying it, 2. Or the Holy Prophet . In the second case, 'Ibaadu Rasoolillah is meant, meaning the Holy Prophets slave and Ummati. The second meaning has also been adapted by the pious. Maulana Rumi states, "The Prophet has made the entire creation his slaves. Read the Quran and you will find 'Ya Ibaadi' (O my slaves ...)." - Mathnawi Sharif Haaji Imdaadullah Muhaajir Makki states, 'Ibaadullah' (servants of Allah )can be called 'Ibaadur-Rasool' (servants of the Prophet .) The Holy Quran slales, "Qui Ya Ibaadi." The pronoun in 'Ibaadi' (my slaves) returns to the Holy Prophet - " Rlsaala Nafkhaa Makkiya, Translation of Shamaaime-Imdaadia, Pg.135 Maulwi Ashraf Ali Thanwi translates this ayat as, "(0 Muhammad ) Say, "O My slaves ... With reference to Riyaadun-Nudrah, etc, Shah Waliullah records that Hal Umar said while he was on the mimbar, "I accompanied the Holy Prophet his servant (banda) and attendant (khaadim).,,21.4 - Izaalatul-Khijaa Discussing the incident when Hadrat Abu Bakr bought Hadrat Bilaal brought him to Rasoolullahs court, Maulana Rumi states, "He said, '" both are slaves of your court. I free him before you." - Mathnawi Sharif Allama Haskafi quotes the lineage of his teacher in the following words, narrate this from our Shaikh, Abdun-Nabi Khaleeli 21.6 - The Khutba of Durre-Mukhtaar This establishes that the teacher of Allama Haskafi was named Abdun-Nr (the servant of the Prophet .) In the eulogy (marsiya) of Rashid Ahm Gangohi, Maulwi Mahmood Hasan Deobandi writes, "Acceptance is this are being accepted should be in this manner. His (Rashid Ahmed's) black sIal (ubaid) has the title ofYusuf-e-Thaani." This shows that the dark and black slaves of Maulwi Rashid Deobandi hal' been given the title of Yusufe-Thaam by his followers. In short, supplementin the word 'Abd' (slave) to someone besides Allah is proven from the Qurun Hadith, books of Fiqh and even from the opinions of the opposition. Arabs also generally say "Abdi" (my servant). Another book of the opposition, Taqwiyatul-Imaan, states that keeping name; like Ali Baksh, Peer Baksh, Ghulaam Ali, Madaar Baksh, Abdun-Nabi, etc. ii polytheism (shirk). However, the paternal family-tree of Maulwi Rashid Alune is recorded as "Maulwi Rashid Ahmed, son of Maulana Hidaayat Ahmed, sic Qaadhi Peer Baksh, s/o Ghulaam Hasan, s/o Ghulaam Ali. His maternal lineage is "Rashid Ahmed, s/o Kareemun-Nisaa, daughter of Farid Baksh, sic Ghulaam Qaadir, s/o Muhammad Saalih, s/o Ghulaam Muhammad.?, Tazkiratur-Rashid. Part 1, Pg. J 3 Deobandis are asked whether the family Buzurgs of Maulwi Rashid Ahmed are Mushriks and Murtads or not? If they aren't, why not? If they are, is tile' offspring of a Murtad considered legitimate? 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 Prophet . 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 Allah ,it has the former meaning and when it is joined towards someone other than Allah ;it has the latter (khaadim-ghulaam). Therefore, Abdun-Nabi means "the slave of the Prophet . 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 Allah , will be expressed." 21.8 - Kitaabul-Karaahiyat, Baabu Tasmiyatul-Aulaad Allahs name is Ali, and the fourth Khalifa of Islam also has this name. Likewise, Badee, Rashid, etc. are names of Allah but can also be names of the creation as well. The connotation of these words will obviously change. So, Abdullah means "the worshipper of Allah and Abdun-Nabi means "the servant of the Prophet . 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 Allahs slaves and so are your women. You should rather say 'Ghulaami' or 'Jaariyati'." 21.9-Mishkaat, Baabul-Adabil-Asaami & Muslim, Vol. 2. Kitaabul-Alfaaz minalAdab This proves that supplementing the word 'Abd' (slave) to someone besides Allah 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 writes in the annotation of this Hadith, "If it is said that one of the signs of Qiyaamat which Rasoolullah 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 and, "Do not call grapes Karam because a Muslim is Karam, 21.l1 A Hadith states, "Haka is Allah ,i.e. command and authority is His. So why is your name AbulHakam (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-eTanzeehi). Otherwise, there will be a major contradiction between the Quran and the Ahadith. Rubb is Allahs name but the Quran has called the slaves Rubb as well, , 31.12 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.