تَمِيم
Boy Arabic origin Tamīm
Companion“Complete, perfect”; also “strong, sturdy”
The Companion Tamim al-Dari, a Christian of Palestine who embraced Islam in the year 9, narrated the hadith: “Religion is sincere counsel (al-nasiha): towards Allah, His Book, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk” (Muslim 55). Abu Hurayra said he loved the Banu Tamim for three sayings of the Prophet ﷺ about them (al-Bukhari 2543).
Tamim comes from the root t-m-m of completion (tamam, “perfection, wholeness”): what is whole and accomplished, and, according to lexicographers, a strong, sturdy man. It is the name of the ancestor of the Banu Tamim, one of the largest tribes of Arabia. The name is very popular in the Gulf, especially in Qatar.
The name Tamim does not appear as such in the Quran, but its root (ت م م) occurs 22 times. Examples:
إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ رَبُّكَ وَلِذَٰلِكَ خَلَقَهُمْ وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ ١١٩
Except whom your Lord has given mercy, and for that He created them. But the word of your Lord is to be fulfilled that, "I will surely fill Hell with jinn and men all together."
وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَجْتَبِيكَ رَبُّكَ وَيُعَلِّمُكَ مِن تَأْوِيلِ ٱلْأَحَادِيثِ وَيُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰٓ ءَالِ يَعْقُوبَ كَمَآ أَتَمَّهَا عَلَىٰٓ أَبَوَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ٦
And thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of narratives [i.e., events or dreams] and complete His favor upon you and upon the family of Jacob, as He completed it upon your fathers before, Abraham and Isaac. Indeed, your Lord is Knowing and Wise."
وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّمَّا خَلَقَ ظِلَٰلًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْجِبَالِ أَكْنَٰنًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ سَرَٰبِيلَ تَقِيكُمُ ٱلْحَرَّ وَسَرَٰبِيلَ تَقِيكُم بَأْسَكُمْ كَذَٰلِكَ يُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْلِمُونَ ٨١
And Allāh has made for you, from that which He has created, shadows [i.e., shade] and has made for you from the mountains, shelters and has made for you garments which protect you from the heat and garments [i.e., coats of mail] which protect you from your [enemy in] battle. Thus does He complete His favor upon you that you might submit [to Him].
All the words of the root ت م م in the Quran (22 occurrences)
"Religion is sincerity." We said: "To whom?" He said: "To Allah, to His Book, to His Messenger, to the Muslim leaders and their common folk."
الدِّينُ النَّصِيحَةُ " قُلْنَا لِمَنْ قَالَ " لِلَّهِ وَلِكِتَابِهِ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلأَئِمَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَعَامَّتِهِمْ "
مَا زِلْتُ أُحِبُّ بَنِي تَمِيمٍ مُنْذُ ثَلاَثٍ سَمِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ فِيهِمْ، سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ " هُمْ أَشَدُّ أُمَّتِي عَلَى الدَّجَّالِ ". قَالَ وَجَاءَتْ صَدَقَاتُهُمْ…
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Tamim 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.
