عَمَّار
Boy Arabic origin ʿAmmār
Companion“One who builds and brings to life”; a man firm in his faith
ʿAmmar ibn Yasir was one of the first Muslims of Mecca, persecuted for his faith together with his parents; his mother Sumayya is counted as the first martyr of Islam. While the mosque of Medina was being built, the Prophet ﷺ said of him: “Poor ʿAmmar! The rebellious group will kill him; he calls them to Paradise and they call him to the Fire” (al-Bukhari 447). He was killed at Siffin in the year 37 of the Hijra.
ʿAmmar is an intensive form of the root ʿ-m-r, which combines the idea of life (ʿumr, “lifespan”) with that of populating, building and maintaining a place (ʿimara): “one who builds, who brings life and prosperity”. The lexicographers also report, from Ibn al-Aʿrabi, that ʿammar describes a man firm in his faith, devoted to prayer and fasting. The Quran uses this root for those who keep Allah’s mosques alive (9:18).
The name Ammar does not appear as such in the Quran, but its root (ع م ر) occurs 24 times. Examples:
إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَٰجِدَ ٱللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَى ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ فَعَسَىٰٓ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَن يَكُونُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ ١٨
The mosques of Allāh are only to be maintained by those who believe in Allāh and the Last Day and establish prayer and give zakāh and do not fear except Allāh, for it is expected that those will be of the [rightly] guided.
أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ ٱلْحَآجِّ وَعِمَارَةَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ كَمَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَجَٰهَدَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَسْتَوُۥنَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ١٩
Have you made the providing of water for the pilgrim and the maintenance of al-Masjid al-Ḥarām equal to [the deeds of] one who believes in Allāh and the Last Day and strives in the cause of Allāh? They are not equal in the sight of Allāh. And Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.
وَٱلْبَيْتِ ٱلْمَعْمُورِ ٤
And [by] the frequented House
All the words of the root ع م ر in the Quran (24 occurrences)
وَيْحَ عَمَّارٍ تَقْتُلُهُ الْفِئَةُ الْبَاغِيَةُ، يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، وَيَدْعُونَهُ إِلَى النَّارِ "
أَفِيكُمُ الَّذِي أَجَارَهُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ عَلَى لِسَانِ نَبِيِّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ مُغِيرَةَ وَقَالَ الَّذِي أَجَارَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى لِسَانِ…
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Ammar in particular: the general rules of Islam apply.
Read the rules for choosing a name
This page is an aid to reflection, not a fatwa. For a personal case, ask a person of knowledge.
