Name Yourselves With the Names of the Prophets

Compiled by Abul Layth

The following hadith has been reported by Abu Dawud in his Sunan:

دَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الطَّالْقَانِيُّ أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُهَاجِرِ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَقِيلُ ابْنُ شَبِيبٍ عَنْ أَبِي وَهْبٍ الْجُشَمِيِّ وَكَانَتْ لَهُ صُحْبَةٌ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَسَمَّوْا بِأَسْمَاءِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَأَحَبُّ الْأَسْمَاءِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ وَأَصْدَقُهَا حَارِثٌ وَهَمَّامٌ وَأَقْبَحُهَا حَرْبٌ وَمُرَّةُ

From Abi Wahb Al-Jushami that the Messenger of Allah said:

“Name yourselves with the names of the Prophets. The most beloved names to Allah are Abdullah and Abdur-Rahman. The truest names are Harith (i.e. cultivator, plowman etc) and Hammam (energetic, spirited etc) and the worst names are Harb (war) and Murrah (gloomy or bitter).”