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Assabile

عَقِيل

Aqeel: meaning of the name

Boy Arabic origin ʿAqīl

Family of the Prophet ﷺCompanion

“Sensible, endowed with reason”, from ʿaql, “reason”

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Aqeel in Islam

ʿAqil ibn Abi Talib, the elder brother of ʿAli and Jaʿfar, was a cousin of the Prophet ﷺ. Taken prisoner at Badr in the ranks of Quraysh, he was ransomed by his uncle al-ʿAbbas (al-Bukhari 421), then embraced Islam and took part in the Battle of Muʾta. He was renowned for his knowledge of Arab genealogies.

Meaning of the name Aqeel

ʿAqil is built on the root ʿ-q-l of reason and discernment (ʿaql): it is explained as “sensible, endowed with reason”, the meaning the classical dictionaries give to ʿaqil. Its feminine, ʿaqila, there means a noble, precious woman, and ʿaqilat kull shayʾ “the best of everything”. The Quran constantly calls for the use of reason: “so that you may understand” (12:2). It should not be confused with ʿUqayl (عُقَيْل), the name of a tribe.

In Arabic
عَقِيل عقيل
Transliteration
ʿAqīl
Root
ع ق ل · 49 occurrences in the Quran
Gender
Boy
Origin
Arabic

Is Aqeel in the Quran?

The name Aqeel does not appear as such in the Quran, but its root (ع ق ل) occurs 49 times. Examples:

إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَٰهُ قُرْءَٰنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ۝٢

Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’ān that you might understand.

Surah Yusuf, Verse 2

إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَٱلْفُلْكِ ٱلَّتِى تَجْرِى فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنفَعُ ٱلنَّاسَ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن مَّآءٍ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍ وَتَصْرِيفِ ٱلرِّيَٰحِ وَٱلسَّحَابِ ٱلْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَـَٔايَٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ ۝١٦٤

Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the [great] ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allāh has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every [kind of] moving creature, and [His] directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and earth are signs for a people who use reason.

Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 164

قُل لَّوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا تَلَوْتُهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَآ أَدْرَىٰكُم بِهِۦ فَقَدْ لَبِثْتُ فِيكُمْ عُمُرًا مِّن قَبْلِهِۦٓ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ ۝١٦

Say, "If Allāh had willed, I would not have recited it to you, nor would He have made it known to you, for I had remained among you a lifetime before it. Then will you not reason?"

Surah Yunus, Verse 16

All the words of the root ع ق ل in the Quran (49 occurrences)

In the hadiths

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 421

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) forbade using (live) animals as targets

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) forbade using (live) animals as targets.

وَقَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ صُهَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ أُتِيَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمَالٍ مِنَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ انْثُرُوهُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَكَانَ…

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik + 1 other version Explained

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 1588

I asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Where will you stay in Mecca? Will you stay in your house in Mecca?" He replied, "Has `Aqil left any property or house?" `Aqil along with Talib had inherited the property of Abu Talib. Jafar and `Ali did not inherit anything as they were Muslims and the other two…

أَيْنَ تَنْزِلُ فِي دَارِكَ بِمَكَّةَ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ وَهَلْ تَرَكَ عَقِيلٌ مِنْ رِبَاعٍ أَوْ دُورٍ

Narrated by Usāmah ibn Zayd

Is this name permissible?

No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Aqeel 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.

Writing Aqeel in each language

French
Akil, Aqil, Aquil
English
Aqeel, Aqil, Akil
Spanish
Aqil, Aquil, Akil
Turkish
Akil, Akîl
Arabic
عَقِيل

Similar names

See also

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