“Where, then, is your dwelling?” He replied, “In Dhāt Lazā.” Umar said, “Go, for your dwelling has burned down.” He went and found that this was indeed the case (1). Thus Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, passed from (2) the words to their inner essence and meanings, just as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, passed from the name Suhayl to the ease with which their affair would be resolved on the day of al-Hudaybiyyah. And so it was (3).

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, instructed his community to choose good names and informed them that they would be called by those names on the Day of Resurrection (4). This—and Allah knows best—draws attention to the need to improve one’s deeds in keeping with one’s good name, so that one may be called before all witnesses by a good name and a fitting description.

Consider how two names were derived for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, from his qualities, each corresponding to who he is: Ahmad and Muhammad. He is Muhammad (much-praised) because of his many praiseworthy qualities, and Ahmad (most praiseworthy) because of their nobility and superiority to the qualities of others. His name is thus joined to the one it names as the soul is joined to the body. Likewise, the Prophet’s giving Abū al-Hakam ibn Hishām the byname Abū Jahl (father of ignorance) accords with his qualities and character; no one deserves this byname more than he does. Likewise, Allah’s giving ‘Abd al-‘Uzzā the byname