Do not Refer to Deviant Groups Using Their Chosen Names of Self-Praise

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Compassionate, the Ever Merciful…

The following is important advice that should be heeded when referring to deviant groups which refer to themselves using praiseworthy terms, like:

  • Al-Ikhwaan al-Muslimoon (The Muslim Brotherhood)
  • Hizbollah (The Party of Allaah)
  • The Islamic State [of Iraq and Sham] (IS, or ISIS)
  • The Nation of Islam

Muslims who follow the Quran, the Sunnah, and the way of the righteous Salaf, those who are truly Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah, reject these names, as they are not accurate nor acceptable as names for the intended deviant cults who oppose Islam in their core beliefs and/or principles.

For example, Muslims who apply Islaam in their lives are the true ‘Muslim Brotherhood’. It is not appropriate to refer to an Egyptian political sect which opposes Islaam in its basic methodology with this name, ‘al-Ikhwan al-Muslimoon’ (the Muslim Brotherhood). They are not the Muslim Brotherhood at all, but rather they are in fact opponents Continue reading

Hadeeth About Not Naming Children Ya’laa, Barakah, Aflah, Yasaar, and Naafi’

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Ever Merciful…

I was asked about the following hadeeth:

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah reported that the Prophet (S) decided to forbid names like Ya’laa (elevated), Barakah (blessing), Aflah (successful), Yasaar (wealth) and Naafi’ (beneficial) (Reported by Muslim)

[1] Firstly, as an obligation, we say ( صلى الله عليه وسلم “sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam” when mentioning our beloved Prophet, which may be expressed in English with the phrase: May Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace.  It is not permissible to change legislated phrases of thikr into abbreviations, like (S), (SAW), (PBUH), or the likes. Review the detailed verdicts of the scholars and further explanations here.

[2] Secondly, this prohibition has been collected by Imaam Muslim and others from two of the Companions, Samurah ibn Jundub and Jaabir ibn ‘Abdillaah, may Allaah be pleased with both of them. There are some slight differences in the wordings of their reports, and the wording mentioned in the question above seems to mix some of them together.

[A] Samurah’s wording is explicit, that he forbade four names: Aflah, Rabaah, Yasaar, and Continue reading