6. Among agnomens the Caliph liked for Arabs is Abu Murrah, whereas the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) prohibited using this agnomen. In addition to that as
mentioned in books of language, Abu Murrah is the agnomen of Iblees.1 That is
why it is said that Iblees has a daughter named Murrah. The Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w.a.) prohibited people from naming people as Hayat (life) and said: Indeed
Hayat is Shaitan.
In his Sunan, Abu Dawood has narrated from Masruq that:2 I went to meet
Umar bin Khattab and he asked: “Who are you?” I replied: “Masruq bin Ajda.”
Umar said: “I heard the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) say: ‘Ajda’ means Shaitan.”
As if Umar had forgotten his directions when he ordered people use the agnomen
of Abu Murrah. Did he not know that Abu Murrah is the agnomen of Iblees or he
expressed his personal opinion as opposed to that of the Prophet? God knows
best.
In the same way is the agnomen of Abu Hanzala, because as mentioned by
Ibne Qayyim in Zaadul Maad,3 Hanzala is one of the worst names.
7. His view that Zulqarnain is the name of an angel, whereas he did not
know that Zulqarnain, according to Tabari, was a Roman youth to whom
rulership was given.4
It is mentioned in authentic reports from Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) that:
“Zulqarnain was one, who loved Allah and Allah loved him as well. And he
acted sincerely for God and Almighty Allah also bestowed him with sincerity and
purity. He was neither a prophet nor an angel.”5
There are some verses in Holy Quran about Zulqarnain and it seems that the
Caliph was unaware of them. Also, he was ignorant that Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
named Ameerul Momineen Ali (a.s.) as Zulqarnain and announced in public:
“O people, I recommend you to love Zulqarnain, that is my brother and son
of my uncle; because only the believer loves him and only the hypocrite bears
enmity. One, who loves him, loves me and one, who is inimical to him, has borne
malice to me.”6
He also addressed Ali (a.s.) saying: “There is a house in Paradise for you,”
and according to a report “there is a treasure for you” and “you are the Zulqarnain
of Paradise”.
Scholars of traditions say that it implies the owner of two sides of Paradise
and its great kingdom, which encompasses the whole Paradise just as the whole
earth was under the control of Zulqarnain. Or it implies that he is Zulqarnain of
Islamic Ummah, although in place of the term of Ummah, a pronoun is given without naming the Ummah; like statement of Almighty Allah:
حَتَّى تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ
“Until the sun set and time for Asr prayer was over, (he said):”7
…where Almighty Allah used the hidden pronoun for the sun in Taurat8
without stating the name of sun. Abu Ubaid says: I prefer the second explanation;
they have said that it is narrated from Ali (a.s.) regarding Zulqarnain; he called
his people to worship of God, but they hit on his head twice and among you also
there is someone like Zulqarnain. In my view, His Eminence implied himself.
That is: I would call people to truth till I would be attacked twice on my head. As
a result of that I would be martyred.
It is narrated from Thalib that: It implies that Ali is the father of two
illustrious personalities of Ummah: Hasan and Husain, sons of Prophet (may God
be pleased with them). [and Zuqarni means two mountains].
Or Zulqarnain implies two gashes, which appeared on his head: one of them
being the strike the Amr bin Abde Wudd in Battle of Khandaq and the other
being the gash of Ibne Muljim (curse of Allah be on him). Abu Ubaid says: And
this is the most correct interpretation.9
And when the Caliph was unaware of points mentioned in Holy Quran and
Sunnah, there is no more scope; we cannot condemn him for verses of poets from
the period of Ignorance (Jahiliyya); because the name and mention is present in
verses of Imrul Qays, Aws bin Hajar and Tarafa bin Abad.
Moreover, what is the problem in using names of angels? How numerous are
people named after angels, like Jibraeel, Mikaeel and Israfeel. And these are three
Hebrew names and according to Ibne Hajar, their meanings in Arabic are as
follows: Abdullah, Ubaidullah and Abdur Rahman.10
In Saheeh Bukhari, it is narrated from Akrama that: Jabar, Meek and Saraaf
mean servant and ‘eel’ means God.11
It is also mentioned in authentic tradition that: The names liked most by
Almighty Allah are: Abdullah (servant of Allah) and Abdur Rahman (servant of
the Beneficent). And there is no problem in using these Hebrew names as well.12
54. The Caliph didn’t know which Surahs were recited on Eid days
It is narrated from Ubaidah that: Umar came out from his house to lead the
Eid prayer and summoned Abu Waqid Laithi and asked:
“Which chapter of Quran did the Prophet recite on such days?”
Laithi replied: “Surah Qaf and Surah Qamar.”
Allamah Amini says: This report is authentic, which Ahle Sunnat scholars
have narrated in their Saheeh books.13 On the basis of this, to regard it as chainless
on the pretext that Ubaidullah bin Abdullah did not live till the time of Umar, is
invalid, due to the fact that in Saheeh Muslim, this traditional report is narrated
from Ubaidullah bin Abdullah from Abu Waqid and there is no doubt that
Ubaidullah met Abu Waqid.
It is on this basis that Baihaqi, Sanadi, Suyuti and others have rejected the
objection that it was chainless.
Come, let us ask the Caliph why he remained unaware of Surahs, which
Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) recited on festivals of Eidul Fitr and Eid of Sacrifice?
Did he forget it and wanted to be reminded; as Suyuti has justified in
Tanweerul Hawalik.14
Or his being preoccupied in market prevented him from that; as he himself
admitted on numerous occasions?
It is unlikely that he should have forgotten it, because it was a common issue
encountered every year and a practice carried out in public in maximum
attendance and it was repeated twice; such a thing is not usually forgotten.