The Holy Prophet has said...

The Holy Prophet has said: Keep good names, because on the Day of Judgement you will be called by these names only. It will be [1] Wassail as-Shia, Vol. 15, Page 122. proclaimed, so-and-so son of so-and-so! Rise and get associated with your light! O, So-and-so, son of so-and-so! Arise that there is no light for you that can guide you! [1] One person said to Imam Ja'far Sadiq, We name our children after your name and the names of your revered ancestors. Is this beneficial for us.

The Imam replies, Yes! By Allah! Is faith anything else than love for the pious and hate towards the profane! For the propagation of their beliefs people derive benefit from every opportunity to project the names of the important personalities. They go to the extent of naming the towns, streets and other landmarks after important personalities.

A responsible and devoted Muslim too takes every opportunity to perpetuate the names of the great personalities of Islam and one of such acts is to name his children after them. Yes! Hasan, Hussain, Abul Fazl, Ali Akbar, Hur, Qasim, Hamza, Jafar, Abuzar, Ammar are amongst the names which enliven the spirit to remember the valiant acts of the great persons and encourage the coming generations to groom themselves on those models.

When a person is named after the Holy Prophets like Ibrahim, Moosa, Issa or Mohammed he is bound to have a feeling that he must try to be as righteous a person as he can. When a person is named after the friends and devotees of the Holy Ahl al-Bait like Abuzar, Meesum and Ammar he will realize the significance of the deeds of those great men. An intelligent Muslim will not give the names of tyrants and [1] Wassail as-Shia, Vol. 15, Page 123. enemies of Islam to his children.

Imam Mohammed Baqir says: Beware of the Satan! When he hears that someone is called as Mohammed and Ali, he melts in such a way as the lead melts and when he hears that someone is named after one of our enemies he is overwhelmed with happiness. [1] The Prophet of Islam said: Whoever gets four sons, and he has not named even one after me has been cruel on me. [2] Imam Mohammed Baqir said: The peerless names are the names of the Prophets.

The Holy Prophet attached so much importance to names that if he did not like the name of any companion or a place, he would immediately change the name. He changed the name of Abd al-Shams to Abd al-Wahab. He named Abd al-Uza (the slave of Uza the idol) to Abd Allah.