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The name of Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, before and after accepting Islam

Question

What was Abu Hurayrah's name before Islam and what was his name after Islam? Why is his name Abu Hurayrah?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The scholars  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them differed in opinion about the name of Abu Hurayrah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him before Islam and after he became a Muslim. The well-known opinion of the scholars  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them is that his name was 'Abd Shams in the pre-Islamic era of ignorance, and his name after he became a Muslim was Abdur-Rahmaan. He was nicknamed Abu Hurayrah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him because he was seen carrying a cat with him. It is also said that it was the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who gave him this nickname. However, a narration reported by At-Tirmithi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him states that it was his family who gave him this name.

Allaah Knows best.

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