Abd al-Rahman explained
Abdelrahman or Abd al-Rahman or Abdul Rahman or Abdurrahman or Abdrrahman (Arabic: عبد الرحمن or occasionally Arabic: عبد الرحمان; DMG ʿAbd ar-Raḥman) is a male Arabic Muslim given name, and in modern usage, surname. It is built from the Arabic words Abd, al- and Rahman. The name means "servant of the most gracious", ar-Rahman being one of the names of God in the Qur'an, which give rise to the Muslim theophoric names.[1] [2] The letter A of the al- is unstressed, and can be transliterated by almost any vowel, often by u. Because the letter R is a sun letter, the letter l of the al- is assimilated to it. Thus although the name is written in Arabic with letters corresponding to Abd al-Rahman, the usual pronunciation corresponds to Abd ar-Rahman. Alternative transliterations include Abd ar-Rahman, Abdulrahman, Abdur Rehman, Abdul Rehman, Abidur Rahman, Abdrrahman, and others, all subject to variant spacing and hyphenation. Certain transliterations tend to be associated with certain areas, for example, Abdirahman in Somalia, Abderrahmane in French-speaking North Africa, or Abdelrahman in Egypt.
Notable people with the name include:
Early Islamic era
- Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf (581–654), Arab businessman and tycoon
- Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr (died 675), Muslim commander and eldest son of Abu Bakr
- Abd al-Rahman ibn Khalid (616–667), Umayyad governor of Homs
- Abd al-Rahman ibn Muljam (died 661), the Kharijite assassin of Ali
- Abd al-Rahman ibn Rabiah (fl. 652), Arab leader in the Khazar-Arab Wars
- Abd al-Rahman ibn Ziyad, Umayyad governor of Khurasan in 679–681
- Al-Hurr ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Thaqafi (deposed 718), Umayyad governor of Al-Andalus
- Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi (died 732), Arab leader in the Battle of Tours
- Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir al-Lakhmi (fl. 746) Umayyad governor of Al Andalus
- Abd ar-Rahman ibn Uqba (fl. 755), governor of Septimania
- Abd al-Rahman ibn Habib al-Fihri (died 755), ruler of Ifriqiya
- Yusuf ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Fihri (fl. 756), governor of al-Andalus
- Abd al-Rahman al-Awza'i (707–774), Arab lawyer
- Abd al-Rahman ibn Rustam (729–784), founder of the Rustamid dynasty
- Abd al-Rahman I (731–788), Umayyad emir in Córdoba, founded Umayyad dynasty
- Abd al-Rahman II (788–852), Umayyad emir in Córdoba
- Abd al-Rahman III (890–961), Umayyad emir in Córdoba
- Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, traditionally held to be the common ancestor of the Somali Darod clan
- Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi, also known as Azophi (903–986), Persian astronomer
- Abd al-Rahman Sanchuelo (983–1009), chief minister of Córdoba
- Abd al-Rahman IV (died 1018), Umayyad emir in Córdoba
- Abd al-Rahman V (died 1024), Umayyad emir in Córdoba
- Yusuf ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Mizzi (1256–1342), Syrian Islamic scholar
Business
Entertainment
Single name
Given name
Surname
Judges and lawyers
- Abdur Rahman (Pakistani judge) (1888–1962)
- Sheikh Abdur Rehman, known as S. A. Rahman (1903–1990), Chief Justice of Pakistan
- Hassan Ali Abdul Rahman, or Hassanally A. Rahman (1909–1986), Pakistani lawyer
- Tufail Ali Abdul Rehman (1921–1975), Pakistani lawyer
- Abdel Rahman Zuabi (1932-2014), Israeli judge
- Rauf Rashid Abd al-Rahman (born), Iraqi judge in trial of Saddam Hussein
- Abdul Rahman Saleh (prosecutor) (born 1941), Attorney General of Indonesia
- Abdurrahman Yalçınkaya (born 1950), Turkish judge
- Abdul Rahman al-Lahim (born 1971), Saudi human rights lawyer
- A.F.M. Abdur Rahman (born 1951), judge of the High court division of Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Politicians and activists
International organizations
Historical nations
Afghanistan
Algeria
Bangladesh
India
Indonesia
Iraq
Jordan
Libya
Malaysia
- Abdul Rahman of Negeri Sembilan (1895–1960) King of Malaysia
- Tunku Abdul Rahman (1903–1990), Prime Minister of Malaysia
- Permaisuri Siti Aishah Abdul Rahman (born 1971), Queen of Malaysia
- Ismail Abdul Rahman (1915–1973), Malaysian politician
- Senu Abdul Rahman (1919–1995), Malaysian politician
- Abdul Rahman Ya'kub (1928-2015), Chief Minister of Sarawak, Malaysia
- Tunku Abdul Rahman (1933–1989), prince of Johor, Malaysia
- Abdul Rahman Abbas (born 1938), Governor of Penang, Malaysia
- Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib, Malaysian politician
- Abdul Rahman Dahlan (born 1965), Malaysian politician
- Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, Malaysian politician
- Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman, Malaysian politician
- Abdul Rahman Bakri, Malaysian politician accused of corruption
- Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib, former Deputy Tourism Minister of Malaysia
- Norah Abdul Rahman (born 1959), Malaysian politician
Singapore
Morocco
Nigeria
Pakistan
Saudi Arabia
- Abdul Rahman ibn Faisal (1850–1928), ruler of Saudi Arabia
- Sa'd bin Abdul-Rahman (1888–1916), Saudi prince and soldier
- Abdallah bin Abd al-Rahman (1889–1977), Saudi prince and soldier
- Muhammad bin Abdul-Rahman (1882–1943), Saudi prince and soldier
- Abdullah bin Abdul-Rahman (1893–1976), senior member of the House of Saud
- Abd al-Rahman bin Abdul Aziz (1931-2017), Saudi politician
- Abdullah Abdah Rahman Jabrin (1933–2009), Saudi sheikh
- Abd al-Rahman bin Saud (1940–2005), Saudi prince
- Ghazi Abdul Rahman Al Gosaibi (1940–2010), Saudi politician
- Fahd bin Abdul Rahman Balghunaim (born 1952), Saudi Minister of Agriculture
- Abdulrahman bin Musa'ad (born 1967), Saudi prince
- Prince Faisal Bin Abdulrahman Bin Saud, Saudi prince
- Nuora bint Abdul Rahman Al Saud (1875–1950), elder sister of King Abdulaziz
Somalia
Sudan
Yemen
Other places
- Abdur Rahman Farès (1911–1991), Algerian politician
- Abdurrahman Vazirov (1930-2022), First Secretary of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan
- Abdulrahman al-Nuaimi (1944–2011), Bahraini politician
- Muriel Abdurahman (1938-2013), politician in Alberta, Canada
- Omar Abdel-Rahman (1938–2017), blind Egyptian Muslim activist, served a life sentence in the USA
- Abdulrahman Abd Ghani, Somali-Ethiopian politician
- Hashem Abd al-Rahman (active 1989–2008), Arab-Israeli politician
- Abdirahman Ali Hassan, Kenyan politician
- Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani (1871–1930), Qatari royal
- Abdullah Abdurahman (1872–1940), South African politician and physician
- Abd al-Rahman Shahbandar (1880–1940), Syrian nationalist activist
Prisoners
- Yunis Abdurrahman Shokuri (born 1968), Moroccan held in Guantanamo
- Abdul Rahman Juma Kahm (born), Afghan held in Guantanamo
- Abdelrazak Ali Abdelrahman, (born 1970), Libyan held in Guantanamo
- Khalid Abdallah Abdel Rahman Al Morghi (born 1970), Saudi held in Guantanamo
- Abdul Ghappar Abdul Rahman (born 1973), Uyghur-Chinese Guantanamo detainee
- Abdul Rahman Uthman Ahmed (born 1973), Saudi held in Guantanamo
- Slimane Hadj Abderrahmane (born 1973), Dane held in Guantanamo
- Abdul Rahman al-Amri (1973–2007), Saudi held in Guantanamo who died there
- Ghanim Abdul Rahman Al Harbi (born 1974), Saudi held in Guantanamo
- Abdul Rahman Shalabi (born 1975), Saudi held in Guantanamo
- Allal Ab Aljallil Abd Al Rahman Abd (born 1975), Yemeni held in Guantanamo
- Abdul Rahman (Guantanamo detainee 357) (born 1976), Afghan detainee
- Abdul Rahman Umir Al Qyati (born 1976), Yemeni held in Guantanamo
- Khalid Saud Abd Al Rahman Al Bawardi (born 1977), Saudi held in Guantanamo
- Muhammad Abd Al Rahman Al Kurash (born 1977), Saudi held in Guantanamo
- Abdul Rahman Abdul Abu Ghiyth Sulayman (born 1979), Yemeni held in Guantanamo
- Abdul Rahman Owaid Mohammad Al Juaid (born 1980), Saudi held in Guantanamo
- Abdul Rahman Nashi Badi Al Hataybi (born), Saudi held in Guantanamo
- Majid Hamad Abdulrahman Al-Fareij (born), Saudi held in Guantanamo
- Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman Abdul Aziz Al Baddah (born 1982), Saudi held in Guantanamo
- Abdurahman Khadr (born 1982), Guantanamo detainee
- Abdul Rahman Noorani (released 2003), Afghan detained in Guantanamo
- Abd Al Rahman Abdullah Ali Muhammad, Yemeni held in Guantanamo
- Abdul Rahman Muhammad Nasir Qasim al-Yaf'i, Yemeni subjected to extraordinary rendition by the US
- Mohammed Omar Abdel-Rahman, Egyptian imprisoned by the US at a CIA black site
- Hiwa Abdul Rahman Rashul, Iraqi imprisoned by the US as a ghost detainee
- Abdul Rahman bin Arshad (born 1961 or 1962), alias Azman, accomplice of Abdul Nasir bin Amer Hamsah in the 1994 Oriental Hotel murder
- Abdul Rahman Abdullah, birth name Donny Meluda, one of the main culprits of the 2010 Kallang slashings
- Ridzuan Mega Abdul Rahman, husband of Azlin Arujunah who was accused of abusing and murdering his five-year-old son
Muslim scholars
Modern era Muslim scholars and clerics with this name are:
Science and academia
- Abd al-Rahman al-Fasi (1631–1685), Moroccan writer on law, history, astronomy and music
- Sheikh Muhammad Abdolrahman, Persian physician
- Abd al-Rahman al-Jabarti (1753–1825), Somali–Egyptian scholar and chronicler
- Abd al-Rahman al-Rafai (1889–1966), Egyptian historian
- Omar Abdul Rahman (academic) (born 1932), Malaysian scientific adviser
- Abdulrahman al-Ansary (1935-2023), Saudi archaeologist
- Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Samawi (born 1946), Yemeni economist
- Basima Abdulrahman, Kurdish-Iraqi civil engineer
- Megat Burhainuddin bin Megat Abdul Rahman (died 2023), Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of MAHSA University College in Malaysia
Soldiers
- Abdur Rehman Peshawari (1886–1925), Turkish soldier, journalist and diplomat
- Habib Abdoe'r Rahman Alzahier (1832-1896), Yemeni participant in Aceh war
- Haji Abdul Rahman Limbong (1868-1929), Malay resistance leader
- Abdurahman Fatalibeyli (1908–1954), Soviet army major who defected to the Germans in World War II
- Abdul Rahman Saleh (physician) (1909–1947), Indonesian doctor, aviator, and National Hero
- Havildar Abdul Rahman (GC) (1921–1945), Indian George Cross recipient
- Akhtar Abdur Rahman (1924–1988), Pakistani general
- Mahmoud Abdel Rahman Fahmy (1929–2006), Commander of the Egyptian Naval Forces
- Ahmed Abdel Rahman Nasser (1934-2020), Egyptian air force officer
Sports
Basketball
Cricket
- Abdur Rehman (cricketer, born 1917)
- Abdur Rehman (Kalat cricketer) (active 1969–70), Kalat, Pakistan
- Abdur Rehman (cricketer, born 1969), Sui, Pakistan
- Abdul Rehman (Pakistani cricketer) (born 1970)
- Abdur Rehman (cricketer, born 1980), Punjab, Pakistan
- Abdul Rehman (Kenyan cricketer) (born 1980)
- Abdul Rehman (Emirati cricketer) (born 1987), cricketer, United Arab Emirates
- Abdur Rehman (cricketer, born 1989), Lahore, Pakistan
- Abdul Rehman Muzammil (born 1989), Pakistani cricketer
- Abdur Rahman (Bangladeshi cricketer) (born 1990), Bangladeshi cricketer
- Abdul Rahman (Afghan cricketer, born 2001)
- Abdul Rahman (Boost Defenders cricketer), Afghan cricketer
Fencing
Football
- Abderrahmane Mahjoub (1929-2011), Moroccan-French footballer
- T. Abdul Rahman (1934–2002), Indian footballer
- Abderrahmane Soukhane (1936-2015), Algerian footballer
- Abdul Rahman Ibrahim (born 1946), Malaysian footballer and coach
- Abdul Rahman Al-Zaid (born 1959), Saudi football referee
- Fahad Abdulrahman (born 1962), UAE footballer
- Abdulrahman Mohamed (born 1963), UAE footballer
- Abdulrahman Al-Haddad (born 1966), UAE footballer
- Shamsurin Abdul Rahman (Malaysian footballer) (born 1967), Malaysian footballer
- Abdulrahman Ibrahim (born 1974), UAE footballer
- Rashid Abdulrahman (born 1975), UAE footballer
- Mohd Suffian Abdul Rahman (born 1978), Malaysian footballer
- Abdurrahman Dereli (born 1981), Turkish footballer
- Abdul Rehman (footballer) (born 1982), Pakistani footballer
- Maman Abdurrahman (born 1982), Indonesian footballer
- Abderrahman Kabous (born 1983), French footballer
- Abdulrahman Al-Bishi (born 1983), Saudi footballer
- Abdulrahman Al-Qahtani (born 1983), Saudi footballer
- Mahmood Abdulrahman (born 1984), Bahraini footballer
- Abdulrahman Mesbeh (born 1984), Qatari footballer
- Mohd Shaffik Abdul Rahman (born 1984), Malaysian footballer
- Abderrahmane Mssassi (born 1985), Moroccan footballer
- Abdul Ghani Rahman (born 1985), Malaysian footballer
- Abdramane Ouattara (born 1986), Burkinabé footballer
- Shamsurin Abdul Rahman (born 1986), Singaporean footballer
- Baha' Abdel-Rahman (born 1987), Jordanian footballer
- Abdul Rahman Sulaiman (born 1988), Indonesian footballer
- Amer Abdulrahman (born 1989), UAE footballer
- Khaled Abdulrahman (born 1989), UAE footballer
- Yousif Abdelrahman Al Bairaq (born 1989), UAE footballer
- Mohamed Abdulrahman (born 1990), UAE footballer
- Omar Abdulrahman (born 1991), UAE footballer
- Rozaimi Abdul Rahman (born 1992), Malaysian footballer
- Mohamed Abdel Rahman (footballer) (born 1993), Sudanese footballer
- Abdul Rahman Baba (born 1994), Ghanaian footballer
- Abdul Rahman (Indonesian footballer, born 2002)
Running
Other sports
Terrorists and militants
- Abdul Rahman Haji Ahmadi, Kurdish-Iranian militant leader
- Abdurrahman Buğday (born 1959), Turkish terrorist and organized crime leader, member of Grey Wolves
- Abdul Rahman Yasin (born 1960), American terrorist wanted in connection with the 1993 World Trade Center bombing
- Atiyah Abd al-Rahman (1970–2011), Libyan suspected terrorists
- Ali Abd al-Rahman al-Faqasi al-Ghamdi (born 1973), Saudi suspected terrorist wanted by the United States
- Abdul Rahman Al-Ghamdi (born 1974), Saudi militant and terrorist
- Abd al-Rahman Bin Khalil Bin Abdallah Nur (born 1980), Saudi suspected terrorist sought by the US
- Abdul Rahman Jabarah (died 2003), Canadian Al-Qaeda militant killed in Saudi Arabia
- Ahmad Abdul-Rahman Saqr al-Fadhli (died 2004), Saudi terrorist on wanted list
- Faisal Abdulrahman Abdullah Aldakheel (died 2004), Saudi terrorist on wanted list
- Saleh Ibn Abdul Rahman Hussayen, Saudi government official accused of assisting terrorists
- Obaida Abdul-Rahman Al Otaibi, Saudi terrorist on wanted list
- Asim Abdulrahman, Egyptian Al-Qaeda militant honoured by the Taliban
- Abderrahmane Ameuroud, Algerian imprisoned in France for funding terrorist groups
- Abu Abdul Rahman, Iraqi-Canadian militant in the Iraq War
Writers
- Addahamāṇa (modernised as Abdur Rahman), Apabhramsha poet known for writing the 12th century work Sandeśarāsaka
- Abderrahman El Majdoub (died 1568), Berber Moroccan poet
- Abdul Rahman Mohmand, known as Rahman Baba (1653–1711), Pashto Sufi poet
- Abdurrahman Sayyid (1831–1901), author of the chronicles of Dagestan
- Abd al-Rahman al-Kawakibi (1855–1902), Syrian Arab Nationalist writer
- Abdel Rahman Shokry (1886–1958), Egyptian poet
- Abdurahman Čokić (1888–1954), Bosniak author/sheikh
- Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghouri (1912–2004), Syrian Sufi poet, textile worker, and trade unionist
- Aisha Abd al-Rahman, known as Bint al-Shati (1913–1998), Egyptian author and professor of literature
- Abdel Rahman Badawi (1917–2002), Egyptian existentialist philosopher and poet
- Abdirahman Yabarow, Somali journalist
- Abdul Rahman Pazhwak (1919–1995), Afghan poet and diplomat
- Abdurrahman Sharafkandi (1920–1990), Kurdish-Iranian poet
- Gely Abdel Rahman (1931–1990), Sudanese poet
- Abdul Rahman Munif (1933–2004), Arabic novelist
- Abdul Rahman Ahmed Jibril Baroud (1937–2010), Palestinian poet
- S. Abdul Rahman (1937-2017), Indian Tamil-language poet
- Abdel Rahman el-Abnudi (born 1938), Egyptian poet
- Taha Abdurrahman (born 1944), Moroccan philosopher
- Mayfa' Abdel Rahman (born 1951), Yemeni short story writer and journalist
- Abdul Rahman Yusuf (born 1970), Egyptian poet
- Lana Abdel Rahman, Lebanese writer
Other people
- Abdirahman Abdi, Canadian whose July 2016 death resulted in August 2016 protests
- Abdur Rahman Khan (born 1878), Bengali academic and education service officer
- Abdur Rahman Chughtai (1899–1975), Pakistani artist
- Abdulrahman Deria (1910-1970s), Sultan of the Habr Awal clan
- Sheikh Abdurahman Sheikh Nuur (fl. 1933), Somali, inventor of Borama script
- Abdur Rahman Hye (1919–2008), Pakistani architect
- Hassan Abdel Rahman (born 1944), Palestinian diplomat
- O. Abdurahman (born 1944), Indian Malayalam journalist
- Abd al-Rahman Mowakket (born 1946), Syrian sculptor
- Abdur Rahman (make-up artist) (1946–2022)
- Amir Abdur Rehman Cheema (ca. 1978–2006), Pakistani who attempted murder of German journalist
- Abdul Rahman al-Amoudi (active 1990–2004), Eritrean-American imprisoned on financial and conspiracy charges
- Abdu Ali Abdul Rahman, Yemeni diplomat
- Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman Al Hussein, Saudi engineer and Minister of Water and Electricity
- Abdul Rahman (convert) (born 1965), Afghan Christian who faced the death penalty for converting from Islam
- Abdulrahman Anwar Al-Awlaki (1995–2011), U.S. citizen born in Denver, Colorado; died in a drone strike in Yemen
See also
Notes and References
- Book: A Dictionary of Muslim Names . Salahuddin Ahmed . Hurst & Company . London . 1999.
- Book: A Dictionary of Muslim Names . S. A. Rahman . Goodword Books . New Delhi . 2001.
- Web site: 2006-04-06 . Acting tough . 2022-11-19 . frontline.thehindu.com . en.
