Chapter: Allah the Exalted says, “When He granted them a sound child, they attributed to Him partners in what He had granted them. Exalted is Allah above what they associate with Him.” (Al-Aʿrāf 7:190)

Ibn Ḥazm said, “There is unanimous agreement that every name compounded with ʿabd (servant of) in reference to anyone other than Allah is forbidden—such as ʿAbd ʿAmr, ʿAbd al-Kaʿbah, and the like—except for ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib.”

Ibn ʿAbbās, commenting on the verse, said: “When Adam had relations with her she conceived. Iblīs came to the two of them and said, ‘I am your companion who expelled you from Paradise. Either you obey me or I will place on him the horns of a stag, so that he will come forth from your womb and tear it apart. I will do this, I will do this.’ Thus he frightened them. ‘Name him ʿAbd al-Ḥārith.’ They refused to obey him, and the baby was stillborn. She conceived again, and he came to them with the same words; they again refused to obey him, and the child was stillborn. She conceived a third time, and he returned and repeated his demand. Love of the child then overcame them, so they named him ʿAbd al-Ḥārith. That is the meaning of His words, ‘They attributed partners to Him in what He had granted them.’” (1) Narrated by Ibn Abī Ḥātim.

With a sound chain, Qatādah said, “They became partners in obedience, not in worship.”

(1) Reported by al-Tirmidhī, no. 3077, and by al-Ḥākim 2/545, who declared it authentic.