لُبَابَة
Girl Arabic origin Lubāba
Female Companion“The core, the best part” of anything
Lubaba bint al-Harith, Umm al-Fadl, wife of al-ʿAbbas, the Prophet’s uncle ﷺ, and sister of Maymuna, Mother of the Believers, is said to have been the first woman to embrace Islam after Khadija; she is the mother of Ibn ʿAbbas. On the day of ʿArafa, as people wondered whether the Prophet ﷺ was fasting, she sent him a bowl of milk, which he drank (al-Bukhari 1988).
Lubaba comes from lubab, “the core of a thing”: Ibn Manzur explains that the lubb and lubab of anything are its purest and best part, like the kernel inside the fruit. From the same root l-b-b comes lubb, “intelligence”, hence the ulu al-albab, “people of understanding”, whom the Quran so often addresses (3:190). The name thus expresses the essence, the best part. The Companion Abu Lubaba bears it in his kunya.
The name Lubaba does not appear as such in the Quran, but its root (ل ب ب) occurs 16 times. Examples:
إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ لَـَٔايَٰتٍ لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ ١٩٠
Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding -
أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَٰنِتٌ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيْلِ سَاجِدًا وَقَآئِمًا يَحْذَرُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُوا۟ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِۦ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ ٩
Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does not]? Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding.
لَقَدْ كَانَ فِى قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَىٰ وَلَٰكِن تَصْدِيقَ ٱلَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ١١١
There was certainly in their stories a lesson for those of understanding. Never was it [i.e., the Qur’ān] a narration invented, but a confirmation of what was before it and a detailed explanation of all things and guidance and mercy for a people who believe.
All the words of the root ل ب ب in the Quran (16 occurrences)
نَاسًا تَمَارَوْا عِنْدَهَا يَوْمَ عَرَفَةَ فِي صَوْمِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ هُوَ صَائِمٌ. وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَيْسَ بِصَائِمٍ. فَأَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِ بِقَدَحِ لَبَنٍ وَهْوَ وَاقِفٌ عَلَى…
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Lubaba 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.
