The name Muhammad ‘Alim

Question

Question: What is the ruling on giving the name Muhammad ‘Alim (محمد علیم)? Some respected people say that this name is not correct, because the attribute of permanence of knowledge is exclusive to the attribute of the Essence of the Exalted Creator?

Answer

[ar]قال ابن عباس ﵁: فوق كل عالم عالم إلا أن ينتهي العلم إلى الله تعالى، والمعنى أن إخوة يوسف ﵇ كانوا اعلما إلا أن يوسف ﵇ أفضل منهم اهـ[/ar] “Ibn ‘Abbas ﵁ said: ‘Above every knower there is a knower, until knowledge ends with Allah Most High.’ The meaning is that the brothers of Yusuf ﵇ were knowledgeable, but Yusuf ﵇ was superior to them” (Ruh al-Ma‘ani, vol. 4, p.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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