address and bynames. Whoever can follow this practice should not depart from it if he must address someone, especially since names implying self-praise have been forbidden. Thus, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—changed the name Barra to Zaynab, so that she would not thereby praise herself. When referring to someone by these newly introduced names for fear that abandoning them might lead to harm, one should confine oneself to what is necessary. Such titles were bestowed because they were merely proper names, without regard to their descriptive meaning, like words transferred into use as personal names, such as Asad (lion), Kalb (dog), and Thawr (bull).

There is no doubt that these innovations, introduced by non-Arabs and then increasingly embellished with titles such as “Glory of the Religious Community and the Faith” and “Glory of the Religious Community, the Truth, and the Faith,” very often involve blatant falsehood: the person so described may more rightly deserve the opposite description. Those who seek these things out of pride and arrogance are punished by Allah with the opposite of what they intended: He humiliates them and gives their enemies power over them. But those who fear Allah and fulfil His commands to worship and obey Him, He honours and grants victory.

As He, Most High, says:

“Indeed, We shall support Our messengers and those who believe, both in the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses stand forth.”

And He, Most High, says:

“Honour belongs to Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.”

Allah knows best. May Allah bless Muhammad and his family and grant them peace.