Names and titles of Muhammad explained

The names and titles of Muhammad,^[1] names and attributes of Muhammad^[2] , Names of Muhammad (Arabic: أسماء النبي|Asmā’u n-Nabiyy) are the titles of the prophet Muhammad and used by Muslims, where 88 of them are commonly known, but also countless names which are found mainly in the Quran and hadith literature. The Quran addresses Muhammad in the second person by various appellations; prophet, messenger, servant (abd) of God.

Names

Muhammad

The name Muhammad ^[3] means "praiseworthy" and appears four times in the Quran.^{[4] [5] [6] [7] [8]} Chapter Surah 47 of the Quran is "Muhammad".^[9] The name Abū al-Qāsim Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib ibn Hāshim,^[10] begins with the kunya^[11] Abū, or, father of.^[12]

The Quran also refers to Muhammad as Ahmad, "more praiseworthy" (Arabic: أحمد).^{[13] [14]} The penultimate prophet in Islam, Isa ibn Maryam also refers Muhammad as Ahmad in the Sura As-Saff.^[15] Muhammad is also referred to as Hamid, or "Praiser (of God)" (Arabic: حامد), and as Mahmud, or "Most Highly Praised" (Arabic: محمود).

Titles

Muhammad is often referenced with these titles or epithets:

• Seal of the prophets (Arabic: خاتم النبيين|translit=Khātam al-Nabiyyīn) ^[16]
• The Prophet, (Arabic: أَلْنَّبِيّ|an-Nabī), also, the Prophet of Prophets.
• Messenger of God, (Arabic: رسول الله|Rasūl’Allāh)
• The Beloved (Arabic: الحَبِيبُ|al-Ḥabīb) or The Beloved of God (Arabic: حَبِيبُ اللهِ|Ḥabīb Allāh)
• The Chosen or The Appointed (Arabic: المُصْطَفَى|al-Muṣṭafā)
• The Genuine, The Trustworthy, or The Faithful (Arabic: الأَمِينُ|al-Amīn)
• The Honest, The Righteous, or The Truthful (Arabic: الصِّدِّيقُ|as-Ṣiddīq)
• Kind, Compassionate, or Affectionate (Arabic: رَءُوف|Raʾūf)
• Model (of Conduct, Merit, or Virtue) (Arabic: أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَة|Uswatun Ḥasanah)
• The Perfect (Arabic: أَلْكَامِل|al-Kāmil)^[17]
• The Best of Mankind (Arabic: خَيْرُ البَشَرِ|Khayr al-Bashar)
• Mercy to the Worlds (Arabic: الرَّحْمَةُ لِلْعَالَمِينَ|ar-Raḥmah lil-ʿĀlamīn)
• al-Mubashir, "The Bearer of Good Tidings"
• an-Nadhir, "The Warner"
• al-Mudhakkir, "The Reminder"
• ad-Dā‘ī, "The One Who Calls (unto God)"
• al-Bashir, "The Announcer"
• an-Nūr, "The Light Personified"
• al-Misbah, "The Lamp/ Lantern" (lit. "Bringer of Light – Dawn") – i.e.: as-Siraaj al-Muneer, "The Lamp of Illuminated, Ever-glowing, Ever-Enlightening, Incandescent"
• as-Siraaj, "The Lamp/ Lantern" – i.e.: as-Siraaj al-Muneer, "The Lamp of Illuminated, Ever-glowing, Ever-Enlightening, Incandescent"
• Ni‘mat-Ullah, "The Divine Favour"
• al-Ummiyy, "The Untaught", i.e.: An-Nabiyyu l-Ummiyy, "The Prophet who was untaught by human race"
• al-'Aqib, "The Last (Prophet)"
• al-Mutawakkil, "The One who Puts his Trust (in God)"
• al-Mahi, "The Remover (of Disbelief)"
• al-Hanif, "The One of Primordial Religion"
• Nâbîyyu at-Tawbah, "The Prophet of Penitence"
• al-Mu`azzaz, "The Strengthened One, the One Made Invulnerable"
• al-Muwaqqar, "Held in Awe"
• al-Fatih, "The Opener"
• al-Hashir, "The Gatherer (First to be Resurrected) on the Day of Judgement"
• al-Shafî`, "The Intercessor"
• Kareem, Noble and Generous (Arabic: كريمٍ),
• Shahid/Shahed (Arabic: شَاهِدًا), A Witness
• al-Mushaffa`, The One Whose Intercession Shall be Granted
• al-Mujtaba, The Chosen (Arabic: اَلْـمُـجْـتَـبَى)^[18]
• ‘Abd’Allah, Servant of God
• Akhir, 'The Final, that is, the final prophet,^[19] "Last Messenger"^[20]
• al-Amin, "The Reliable One"^[21]

Muhammad is sometimes addressed by designations deriving from his state at the time of the address: thus he is referred to as the enwrapped (Al-Muzzammil) in Quran and the shrouded (al-muddaththir) in Quran .^[22]

He is also known by these epithets:

• Ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, descendant of Abd al-Muttalib
• Abu ’l-Qasim (Arabic: أَبـو الـقَـاسـم, father of Qasim ibn Muhammad), a son by his first wife Khadija bint Khuwaylid.
• Abu ‘Abd’Ullah, father of Abdullah ibn Muhammad, also a son by Khadija.
• Abu Ibrahim, father of Ibrahim ibn Muhammad, a son by Maria al-Qibtiyya.
• Abu ’t-Tahir, father of the Pure
• Abu ’t-Tayyib, father of the Pleasant

In Iran, Central Asia and South Asia, Turkey and the Balkans, he is often called Hadrat (His Presence or His Holiness) Arabic: حضرت|ḥadhrat) or Messenger (Persian: پيغمبر|peygamber).^[23]

Islamic scholars strongly emphasize the need for Muslims to follow the name of Muhammad, whether spoken or written, with the honorific phrase "peace be upon him", often abbreviated to PBUH or SAW, from Arabic: صلى الله عليه وسلم|sallallahu alayhe wasallam or written ﷺ.

See also

• Names and titles of Jesus in the Quran
• Islamic honorifics
• Salawat
• Mawlid
• Na`at
• Madih nabawi
• Haḍra
• Dala'il al-Khayrat

Further reading

Chiabotti, Francesco, Names, in Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God (2 vols.), Edited by C. Fitzpatrick and A. Walker, Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO, 2014.

Notes and References

1. News: Names and Titles of Prophet Muhammad. Faqir . Journey of a Seeker Of Sacred Knowledge. January 20, 2012. January 18, 2013.
2. News: Yeniterzi. Emine. The Names and Attributes of Prophet Muhammad in Divine Literature. June 13, 2013 . Last Prophet. January 18, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140117230816/http://www.lastprophet.info/the-names-and-attributes-of-prophet-muhammad-in-divan-literature . Jan 17, 2014 .
3. Web site: Muhammad . Dictionary.com . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20151230095637/http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/muhammad . Dec 30, 2015 .
4. Jean-Louis Déclais, Names of the Prophet, Encyclopedia of the Quran
5. Muhammad is only a messenger: many Were the messenger that passed away before him.
6. Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of God, and the Seal of the Prophets: and God has full knowledge of all things.
7. But those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, and believe in the (Revelation) sent down to Muhammad – for it is the Truth from their Lord, – He will remove from them their ills and improve their condition.
8. Muhammad is the messenger of God; and those who are with him are strong against disbelievers, (but) compassionate amongst each other.
9. Web site: Quran (Chapter 47).
10. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Muhammad Muhammad
11. [S. D. Goitein|Goitein, S.D.]
12. Ward, K. (2008) – Islam: Religious Life and Politics in Indonesia p. 221, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies Retrieved 17 February 2017
13. Book: Iqbal. Muzaffar . Integrated Encyclopedia of the Qur'an . 2013 . Center for Islamic Sciences . 978-1-926620-00-8 . 33 . 1.
14. Web site: Critical Thinking – A World View.
15. And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said: "O Children of Israel! I am the messenger of God (sent) to you, confirming the Law (which came) before me, and giving Glad Tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.".
16. Ernst (2004), p. 80
17. Web site: Ibn al-'Arabi, Muhyi al-Din (1164–1240). Muslim Philosophy. January 18, 2013. 4. The 'perfect man' and the Muhammadan reality
18. Web site: quranicnames.com . Mujtaba, A Quranic Name for Boys . 2017-02-21.
19. Muhammad and Christ, Maulana Muhammad Ali – 2011
20. Muhammad The Messenger of God: M. Fethullah Gülen – 2014
21. Book: Armstrong, Karen . Karen Armstrong. 2013 . . . 18 . Chapter One: Mecca . 9780062316837.
22. Uri Rubin, Muhammad, Encyclopedia of the Qur'an
23. Book: Schimmel, Annemarie . Islamic Names: An Introduction (Islamic Surveys) . 1990 . Edinburgh University Press . 978-0-85224-563-7 . 30 . registration .