nor accreditation. Yet they included him among the Companions, and Ibn Hajar mentioned him in the first section of al-Isabah, citing this hadith in his entry through the narration of Abu Ahmad al-Hakim from al-Hajjaj, with this chain.

His brother, Abd al-Rahman, corroborated him with a similar report. Abu Ishaq narrated it from Khaythamah ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn [Abi] Sabrah: “His father, Abd al-Rahman, went with his grandfather to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, who asked him, ‘What is your son’s name?’ He replied, ‘Aziz.’ The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘Do not name him Aziz; rather, name him Abd al-Rahman.’ Then he said”—and he mentioned the rest of it.

Ahmad (4/178), Ibn Hibban (1945), in abbreviated form, and likewise al-Hakim (4/276) narrated it. Al-Hakim said: “Its chain of transmission is authentic,” and al-Dhahabi agreed with him.

I say: However, its apparent sense is that it is mursal. Ahmad connected its chain in another narration of his, through this same route, from Khaythamah ibn Abd al-Rahman, from his father, with similar wording.

I say: Thus, this has a connected chain. Al-Tabarani likewise narrated it, and al-Haythami said (8/50): “Its narrators are those of the Sahih.”

The hadith also has a strong mursal corroborating report with the wording: “The best names are Abd Allah, Abd al-Rahman, and the like; the truest names are al-Harith and Hammam: al-Harith pursues both his worldly life and his religion, and Hammam is concerned with both; and the worst names are Harb and Murrah.” Ibn Wahb narrated it in al-Jami‘ (p. 7): Ibn Lahi‘ah informed me, from Ja‘far ibn Rabi‘ah, from Rabi‘ah ibn Yazid, from Abd Allah ibn Amir al-Yahsabi, as a Prophetic report.

I say: This is an authentic mursal chain; all its narrators are trustworthy. Al-Yahsabi’s kunya was Abu Imran al-Dimashqi, the Quran reciter.