The name "Aazar"

4-5-2002 | IslamWeb

Question:

Could you please tell me the meaning and history of the name "Aazar" and if it is good Muslim name? I think this was the name of Prophet Abraham's (Peace and blessings be upon him) father, is it true? Please make sure the above name is "Aazar" not "Azhar".

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Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {And (remember) when Ibrâhim (Abraham) said to his father Azar: "Do you take idols as âlihâ (gods)? Verily, I see you and your people in manifest error."} [6:74].
The preponderant opinion is that Azar is Abraham 's father; it is a non-Arabic name.
Ibn Kather said: ' Ibn Jarir says it is right that Azar is the name of Abraham 's father. Maybe there are two names, for Abraham 's father, like so many people, or perhaps the first is his name and the other is his nickname. Only Allah knows that the above saying is good and strong'.
al-Bukhari 's narration from Abu Hurairah supports the above-stated opinion. Such a narration states that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "On the Day of Judgment Abraham will meet his father Azar whose face will be covered with grime and soot. Abraham will say to his father: 'Have I told you not to disobey me?' Then, his father will tell him: 'I will not disobey you today'. Abraham will say: 'Oh my Lord! You have promised that not to humiliate me on the Day of Resurrection. No dishonor is worse than driving away my father from Your Mercy'. Allah will Say: 'I have prohibited Paradise to disbelievers'. Then, it will be said to Abraham : 'Look near your feet'. Then, when behold, a hyena stained with blood is taken by the legs and thrown into the Hell-Fire" .
The above-narration states that Abraham will see his father in the form of a hyena with thick hair and stained with blood so that he renounces him at once.
Therefore, we state that the name Azar is not from among the recommended names. On the contrary, one has to avoid naming with a name of a person who disobeyed Allah, and was mentioned in the Qur'an and Sunnah as a dispraised one.
Allah knows best.