Our Reply:
Yes it is a fact that the names of some of the sons of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) were common to the names of the previous Caliphs but it is not true that Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) named his sons after the Caliphs. Thus, this similarity of names is not an evidence of his love for them.
Secondly, the names of the Caliphs were such that they were already commonly used in Arab culture. If someone named his son by one of these names it is because these names were acceptable in the culture at that time. It is a fallacy to assume (leave alone assert) that someone was named after someone.
It is only when Islam and Shiasm spread to other lands and cultures over a period of time and the followers of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) in these foreign lands heard the names of the Caliphs in a negative light of being the usurpers of the right of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) that the names of these Caliphs became culturally unacceptable in the Shia society. For them these names did not represent Arab culture but instead represented negative icons.
However, among Arabs we find that even the name Yazeed was commonly used by Shias even after the incident of Karbala because for them it represented a culturally acceptable name and was not exclusively identified with the villain Yazeed who mercilessly martyred Imam Husain(a.s.) and his companions and imprisoned the members of the holy Ahlul Bait(a.s.).
From Shia books of Rijaal (brief biographies of narrators of traditions) like: Rijaal-e-Toosi, Rijaal-e-Barqi, Rijaal-e-Kashi, Mojam al-Rijaal al-Hadith of Ayatullah Sayed Abul Qasem al-Khui (r.a.), we find numerous examples of die-hard Shias and enemies of Bani Ummayah named Yazeed.[1]
Thus, it is established that just because the names of two people happen to be the same as they were from the same culture, it does not mean that one was named after another or his father loved the former.
Also, since the narrations of traditions was banned immediately after the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), it is very difficult to know today that for each son of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) whose name is common with some Caliph, who actually he was named after. But some traditions do give us an indication (but not towards any Caliph).
It is narrated from Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) that he said regarding the naming of his son, Uthman: I have named him after my brother Uthman bin Ma’zoon[2].[who was an eminent companion of the Holy Prophet(s.a.w.a.) and is buried in the graveyard of Baqi]
Similarly for other names also such possibilities exist that Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) has named his sons after some respectable companion (instead of the Caliphs).
The names of some of the sons of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) being common with those of some Caliphs created an alibi for Shias later on to escape from difficult situations in the long and heart-rending history of oppression unleashed upon them by his (a.s.) opponents. Hence, we find instances when Shias were cornered by the enemies of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.). They would have surely been killed, but they escaped a sure death by praising these sons of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) which the enemies misunderstood to be the praise of the Caliphs. The Shias were thus able to practice ‘Taqiyyah’ (dissimulation) without resorting to any untrue statement. Over the years, it resulted in protection of the lives, wealth and progeny of many Shias.
According to the aforementioned details, now in this present age after the passage of fourteen centuries, we can conclude that names cannot be the criterion for relations between two sides. Other grounds should be searched to find the reason of enmity or friendship[3].
Yes it is a fact that the names of some of the sons of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) were common to the names of the previous Caliphs but it is not true that Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) named his sons after the Caliphs. Thus, this similarity of names is not an evidence of his love for them.
Secondly, the names of the Caliphs were such that they were already commonly used in Arab culture. If someone named his son by one of these names it is because these names were acceptable in the culture at that time. It is a fallacy to assume (leave alone assert) that someone was named after someone.
It is only when Islam and Shiasm spread to other lands and cultures over a period of time and the followers of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) in these foreign lands heard the names of the Caliphs in a negative light of being the usurpers of the right of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) that the names of these Caliphs became culturally unacceptable in the Shia society. For them these names did not represent Arab culture but instead represented negative icons.
However, among Arabs we find that even the name Yazeed was commonly used by Shias even after the incident of Karbala because for them it represented a culturally acceptable name and was not exclusively identified with the villain Yazeed who mercilessly martyred Imam Husain(a.s.) and his companions and imprisoned the members of the holy Ahlul Bait(a.s.).
From Shia books of Rijaal (brief biographies of narrators of traditions) like: Rijaal-e-Toosi, Rijaal-e-Barqi, Rijaal-e-Kashi, Mojam al-Rijaal al-Hadith of Ayatullah Sayed Abul Qasem al-Khui (r.a.), we find numerous examples of die-hard Shias and enemies of Bani Ummayah named Yazeed.[1]
Thus, it is established that just because the names of two people happen to be the same as they were from the same culture, it does not mean that one was named after another or his father loved the former.
Also, since the narrations of traditions was banned immediately after the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), it is very difficult to know today that for each son of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) whose name is common with some Caliph, who actually he was named after. But some traditions do give us an indication (but not towards any Caliph).
It is narrated from Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) that he said regarding the naming of his son, Uthman: I have named him after my brother Uthman bin Ma’zoon[2].[who was an eminent companion of the Holy Prophet(s.a.w.a.) and is buried in the graveyard of Baqi]
Similarly for other names also such possibilities exist that Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) has named his sons after some respectable companion (instead of the Caliphs).
The names of some of the sons of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) being common with those of some Caliphs created an alibi for Shias later on to escape from difficult situations in the long and heart-rending history of oppression unleashed upon them by his (a.s.) opponents. Hence, we find instances when Shias were cornered by the enemies of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.). They would have surely been killed, but they escaped a sure death by praising these sons of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) which the enemies misunderstood to be the praise of the Caliphs. The Shias were thus able to practice ‘Taqiyyah’ (dissimulation) without resorting to any untrue statement. Over the years, it resulted in protection of the lives, wealth and progeny of many Shias.
According to the aforementioned details, now in this present age after the passage of fourteen centuries, we can conclude that names cannot be the criterion for relations between two sides. Other grounds should be searched to find the reason of enmity or friendship[3].
[1] Ali Labbaf, A victim lost in Saqifa’ p.338
[2] Abul Faraj Isfahani: Maqatil at-Talibiyyin, (Translated by Rasooli Mahallati), Pg. 80
[3] Engineer Jawad Husaini Tabatabai: Dar Pasukh-e-Afsana-e-Shahadat, Pgs. 181-184
Also the problem is that one of Ali's (Raa) sons is known as Abu Bakr... now Abu Bakr was not some name in Arabs and it was kuniyat of the 1st Caliph. Just as there was no other Abu Turab but Ali and no other Abu Hurraira.... so calling him Abu Bakr automatically means that who are we giving reference to? It's ABU BAKR SIDEEQ,.. the gr8 gr8 maternal grandfather of Imam Jafar Sadiq. Also Imam Hassan & Imam Hussain had sons with names Abu Bakr. one shia friend himself said 'giving a name to a person is one thing but naming three sons all together as abu bakr,umar,uthman particularly after the names of the first three caliphs is something not common or something which cannot be said that its just a name and been given........ '
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