“What’s in a name!” goes the quote. However, every Mumin certainly knowsthat names and the ceremony preceding the Chatti Rasam (naming ceremony) bear profound effect on the overall life of the person named.
Nomenclature is the science of naming species of different organisms, as well as minerals and plants. Scientists have named each species according to its characteristics, features and explicit properties. Organisms are named based upon the anatomy and physiology of different species.
Anthroponymy is the study of naming humans. It is observed that in humans the naming of their young ones is not void of reason. People select names on the basis of patterns and preferences. For example:
- Meaning of the name
- Name of an admired person
- A name that will bring luck and favour to the child
- A name that relates to the circumstances or reminds one of a specific phenomenon
- Physical characteristics and personal qualities of the person named
- Time of the birth
When, flora and fauna are named with reasons behind them; how can a Mumin, the ultimate goal of all creation be named without any wisdom or reason behind it?
Annals of Dawat’s history bear testimony to the fact that Awliya’ullah AS have laid strong emphasis on naming the new-born with the names of HudaatKiraamAS:
- Allah Ta´ala informed Nabi Adam AS about the derivation of the holy names of Panjatan Paak AS.
- Moulatona Amenah AS was instructed by an angel in her dream to name her to-be born child “Mohammed”.
- Jibra’eel came with the names of Moulana Imam Hasan AS and Moulana Imam Husain AS on a piece of silk from jannat.
- Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin RA changed the name of Syedna Abdulqadir Najmuddin RA from “Yusuf” to “Abdulqadir”.
- Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA named Maulana al-Hayy al-Muqaddas “Mohammed” to beseech barakat and yumn from the holy names of Syedna Mohammed Badruddin RA and Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA (the 46 th and the 49 thDai al-Mutlaqs respectively)
- Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA wrote the name of Syedna AaliQadr Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS by his own hands: “AaliQadr Mufaddal”
In one of his counsels to Mumineen Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA stated:
“The first thing we should teach our children is to recite the names of Panjatan Paak AS. When a child starts to learn to speak, he should be taught to say the pious names of “Ya Ali” and Imam Tayyib AS. This will lead to the barakat of Panjatan Paak AS reaching his soul.
The names of our children should be [the names] of Panjatan Pak, A’immat Tahereen, Du´at Mutlaqeen and Anbiyaa’ Kiraam AS. Others are others. We are Mumineen. There is no comparison.”
Mumineen are habituated to seek the name of their child from Dai al-Zaman TUS. Names given by Awliya’ullah AS have far-reaching effects on a mumin. Apart from having a link witha specific occasion, day or date, etc., these names certainly bring good fortune and barakat. There are numerous instances which endorse the transformation brought forth by the change of name in times of illness, misfortune and other difficulties.
Syedna al-Dai al-Ajal TUS refers to many names that have a cultural dimension attached to them, like; Elizabeth, Khurshid Husain, etc. He has repeatedly directed Mumineen to refrain from such names due to the cultural impact and has emphasizedMumineen to have names that reflect Thaqaafat Fatemiyah.
Recently, Maula TUS narrated the example of a Mumin couple who have three children named Sakina, Munira and Burhanuddin. Since they kept these names with the raza mubarak of Dai al-Zaman, one barakat they received was that the initials of these three names make up SMB, the initials of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA. The very presence of their children has become for them a reminder of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin’s RA endless benevolence.
May Allah protect Fatemi Thaqaafat in our children for generations to come. May He grant our Maula Syedna AaliQadr Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS the custodian of Fatemi Thaqaafata long life till the day of Qiyaamat.