“The right of a child incumbent upon his father is that the...

“The right of a child incumbent upon his father is that the father should choose a good name for him and teach him good etiquette and the Qur’an.” [^7] Changing bad Names by the Prophet The changed bad names of people and places to good ones and freed the people from bad feelings and humiliation due to having a bad name. Imam Sadiq quoted on the authority of his father that the Prophet changed the ugly names of people and towns.[^8] Umar had a daughter whom he had named Asiyah meaning sinner.

The Prophet changed her name to Jamileh meaning beautiful. ^9 In another tradition we read: “ Abi Rafe’ narrated that the daughter of Umm-Salma’ was named Barrah meaning good-doer. The Prophet of God changed her name to Zaynab.”[^10] The Prophet did this since that name connotated selfishness and some people said that she wants to claim to be pure. The Prophet changed her name to Zaynab to end the people’s humiliating her.

Ahmad ibn Haytham asked Imam Ridha : “Why did the Arabs put the names of animals such as dogs, wild cats, tigers, etc. on their children?” Imam Ridha replied: “The Arabs were fighters. They named their children this way so as to frighten their enemies when they called their children during fighting.”[^11] Bad Names: A Cause of Humiliation The head of an Arab tribe was named Jareyah that means a kind of boa. He was frank and strong.

His relatives and him were displeased with Mu`awiyah’s oppressive rule and Mu`awiyah had sensed this. Mu`awiyah decided to humiliate him. Once when Mu`awiyah faced him, Mu`awiyah said: “How lowly were you in your tribe that they named you a boa.” Jareyah immediately replied: “And how lowly you were in your tribe that they named you Mu`awiyah meaning a female dog.” Mu`awiyah got angry and said: “Shut up. You have no mother!” Jareyah replied: “I do have a mother.

By God we have hearts which beat in your hatred.” Then Mu`awiyah who was defeated said: “May God not increase the people like you.”[^12] Another example is related to a man who lived at the time of Mu`awiyah. He was the head of his tribe and his name was Sharik ibn Aoor. The word “Sharik” means partner in Arabic, and it is not a good name. His father’s name was Aoor that means “one with a defective eye” in Arabic.

Once when he went to see Mu`awiyah, Mu`awiyah said: “Your name means “partner” but there are no partners for God. You are the son of the man with a defective eye. However, a healthy man is better than one with a defective eye.