Jami` at-Tirmidhi #3937

Chapters on Virtues
Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الْمُرَابِطِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ رَافِعٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ لِمَ كُنِّيتَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ أَمَا تَفْرَقُ مِنِّي قُلْتُ بَلَى وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَهَابُكَ ‏.‏ قَالَ كُنْتُ أَرْعَى غَنَمَ أَهْلِي فَكَانَتْ لِي هُرَيْرَةٌ صَغِيرَةٌ فَكُنْتُ أَضَعُهَا بِاللَّيْلِ فِي شَجَرَةٍ فَإِذَا كَانَ النَّهَارُ ذَهَبْتُ بِهَا مَعِي فَلَعِبْتُ بِهَا فَكَنَّوْنِي أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ‏. هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ ‏.‏
"I said to Abu Hurairah: 'Why were you given the Kunyah Abu Hurairah?' He said: 'Do you not fear me?'" He said: "Indeed, I am in awe of you.' He said: 'I used to tend the sheep of my people, and I had a small kitten; so I used to place it in a tree at night, and during the day I would take it with me and play with it. So they named me Abu Hurairah.'"
Narrated by Narrated 'Abdullah bin Rafi':

Context

In this hadith, 'Abdullah bin Rafi' asks Abu Hurairah about the origin of his nickname. Abu Hurairah explains that he was given this name due to his fondness for a small kitten he cared for. This anecdote reflects the importance of names and their meanings in Islamic culture, as well as the affectionate nature of the Prophet's companions.

Modern Application

This story highlights how names can carry personal significance and reflect our relationships. In modern life, we can choose names for our children that embody positive traits or values, fostering a sense of identity and connection.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Family and Etiquette of Naming because it illustrates the significance of names and the affectionate relationships within families.

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Common Words

71 total65 unique5 repeated
من3x
إن2x
قال2x
أن2x
نعجة2x
وحنانا1x
لدنا1x
وزكوة1x
وكان1x
تقيا1x
فجاءته1x
إحدىهما1x
تمشى1x
على1x
ٱستحياء1x
قالت1x
أبى1x
يدعوك1x
ليجزيك1x
أجر1x
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About Jami` at-Tirmidhi

This hadith is #3937 from Jami` at-Tirmidhi, in the Book of Chapters on Virtues. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated 'Abdullah bin Rafi':.

About This Hadith