Sunan Abu Dawud #4958
General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab)
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 صَالِحٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لَهُ " مَا اسْمُكَ " . قَالَ حَزْنٌ . قَالَ " أَنْتَ سَهْلٌ " . قَالَ لاَ السَّهْلُ يُوطَأُ وَيُمْتَهَنُ . قَالَ سَعِيدٌ فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيُصِيبُنَا بَعْدَهُ حُزُونَةٌ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَغَيَّرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم اسْمَ الْعَاصِ وَعَزِيزٍ وَعَتَلَةَ وَشَيْطَانٍ وَالْحَكَمِ وَغُرَابٍ وَحُبَابٍ وَشِهَابٍ فَسَمَّاهُ هِشَامًا وَسَمَّى حَرْبًا سَلْمًا وَسَمَّى الْمُضْطَجِعَ الْمُنْبَعِثَ وَأَرْضًا تُسَمَّى عَفِرَةَ سَمَّاهَا خَضِرَةَ وَشِعْبَ الضَّلاَلَةِ سَمَّاهُ شِعْبَ الْهُدَى وَبَنُو الزِّنْيَةِ سَمَّاهُمْ بَنِي الرِّشْدَةِ وَسَمَّى بَنِي مُغْوِيَةَ بَنِي رِشْدَةَ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ تَرَكْتُ أَسَانِيدَهَا لِلاِخْتِصَارِ .
The Prophet (ﷺ) asked: What is your name? He replied: Hazn (rugged). He said: You are Sahl (smooth). He said: No, smooth is trodden upon and disgraced. Sa'id said: I then thought that ruggedness would remain among us after it.
AbuDawud said: The Prophet (ﷺ) changed the names al-'As, Aziz, Atalah, Shaytan, al-Hakam, Ghurab, Hubab, and Shihab and called him Hisham. He changed the name Harb (war) and called him Silm (peace). He changed the name al-Munba'ith (one who lies) and called him al-Mudtaji' (one who stands up). He changed the name of a land Afrah (barren) and called it Khadrah (green). He changed the name Shi'b ad-Dalalah (the mountain path of a stray), the name of a mountain path and called it Shi'b al-Huda (mountain path of guidance). He changed the name Banu az-Zinyah (children of fornication) and called them Banu ar-Rushdah (children of those who are on the right path), and changed the name Banu Mughwiyah (children of a woman who allures and goes astray), and called them Banu Rushdah (children of a woman who is on the right path).
AbuDawud said: I omitted the chains of these for the sake of brevity.
Narrated by Sa'id b. Musayyab told that his father said on the authority of his grandfather (Hazn):
Context
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) engaged in a conversation about names, suggesting that he preferred names that carry positive meanings. This hadith illustrates the significance of names in shaping identity and the importance of choosing names that reflect good qualities.
Modern Application
In today's society, the choice of names can influence perceptions and expectations. Parents are encouraged to choose names that inspire positive traits and reflect good character, fostering a sense of identity in their children.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Respectful Communication and Etiquette of Naming because it underscores the importance of names and their meanings in social interactions.
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عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ
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قَالَ قَدْ وَقَعَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ رِجْسٌۭ وَغَضَبٌ ۖ أَتُجَٰدِلُونَنِى فِىٓ أَسْمَآءٍۢ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّا نَزَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَٰنٍۢ ۚ فَٱنتَظِرُوٓا۟ إِنِّى مَعَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْمُنتَظِرِينَ
[Hud] said, "Already have defilement and anger fallen upon you from your Lord. Do you dispute with me concerning [mere] names you have named them, you and your fathers, for which Allah has not sent down any authority? Then wait; indeed, I am with you among those who wait."
وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ فَٱدْعُوهُ بِهَا ۖ وَذَرُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِىٓ أَسْمَٰٓئِهِۦ ۚ سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing.
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Al-Baqara (The Cow)
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وَعَلَّمَ ءَادَمَ ٱلْأَسْمَآءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنۢبِـُٔونِى بِأَسْمَآءِ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ
And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."
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An-Najm (The Star)
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إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّآ أَسْمَآءٌۭ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَٰنٍ ۚ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى ٱلْأَنفُسُ ۖ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَهُم مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ
They are not but [mere] names you have named them - you and your forefathers - for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow not except assumption and what [their] souls desire, and there has already come to them from their Lord guidance.
Common Words
85 total65 unique13 repeated
من5x
ٱلله3x
ما3x
بها3x
إن3x
فى2x
أسماء2x
سميتموها2x
أنتم2x
وءاباؤكم2x
سلطن2x
ٱلأسماء2x
إلا2x
بسم1x
ٱلرحمن1x
ٱلرحيم1x
عبس1x
وتولى1x
قال1x
قد1x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #4958 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab). It is graded Sahih and narrated by Sa'id b. Musayyab told that his father said on the authority of his grandfather (Hazn):.