Every name which leads to the service of other than Allah is prohibited
Allah (SWT)said:
“But when He gave them a Salih (good in every aspect) child, they ascribed partners to Him (Allah) in that which He has given to them. High is Allah, Exalted above all that they ascribe as partners to Him. (Tafsir At-Tabari, vol.9 , page 148).” (7: 190)
Allamah Ibn Hazm (R.A.) said that Muslims were collectively agreed upon the impermissibility of every name which means service to anyone other than Allah (SWT) such as Abd-‘Umar (slave of ‘Umar), Abd-Al-Ka‘bah (slave of the Ka‘abh), and like that except Abdul-Muttalib.
Ibn Abbas (R.A.) commented upon the above verse of Qur’an as such:
When Adam had sexual relation with Eve, she became pregnant. At that time Iblis (Satan) came to them and said, “I am the one who caused your expulsion from Paradise. Obey me, otherwise I shall cause your child to grow two horns like a deer by which he will puncture your belly when he comes out! I will do it! “ Satan thus frightened them (Adam and Eve) and said to name the boy “Abdul-Harith” (slave of the earth cultivator). They (Adam and Eve ) did not obey him (Satan) and a dead child was born to them. When Eve became pregnant a second time, Satan again approached them and repeated the same demand but again they did not obey. And the second child was still born dead. She (Eve) became pregnant a third time, Satan again came to them and put the same demand mentioning what had happened before. Adam and Eve were overcome by love for the child and named the boy “Abdul-Harith (slave of the earth cultivator)”. And this is what Allah said (in the verse): “They made partners with Him for what were given”. [Reported by Ibn Abi Hatim].
He (Ibn Abi Hatim) also reports with a Sahih chain from Qatadah (R.A.) that he said [1] :
“They made partners in giving obedience along with Him but not in worship beside Him.”
He (Ibn Abi Hatim) also reports with a sound chain from Mujahid (R.A.) regarding the verse:
“If you give us a Salih (good in every aspect) child,….” (7: 189)
that they (Adam and Eve) were frightened that the child might not be human. Such a meaning was mentioned by Hasan, Sa‘id and others (R.A.).
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[1] Note: The above quoted Hadith is said to be weak. Hafiz Ibn Kathir (R.A.) and Allamah Al-Albani ranked it weak “Da‘if” (Publisher).
Important issues of the Chapter
1) Any name which implies worship of others than Allah is forbidden.
2) Explanation of the verse in Al-A‘raf (7: 189).
3) This Shirk is concerned only with the naming though its actual implied meaning was not intended.
4) The gift of Allah to a man of a normal girl is also of His favors.
5) The pious predecessors made a distinction between Shirk in obedience and Shirk in worship.