أُبَيّ
Boy Arabic origin Ubayy
CompanionDiminutive form of ab, “father”; an ancient Arabic name
Ubayy ibn Kaʿb, an Ansari of Medina, was one of the scribes of the revelation and the best reciter of the Quran among the Companions (al-Tirmidhi 3790). The Prophet ﷺ told him: “Allah has commanded me to recite Lam yakun (Surah 98) to you”; Ubayy asked: “He named me?” “Yes”, and he wept (al-Bukhari 4959). ʿUmar appointed him to lead the night prayers of Ramadan (al-Bukhari 2010).
Ubayy has the form of the diminutive of ab, “father” (root ʾ-b-w), just as ukhayy is that of akh, “brother”: in Arabic the diminutive expresses smallness or affection. It is an ancient Arabic name, borne before Islam in both Mecca and Medina. It is sometimes confused with abiyy (أَبِيّ), “proud, refusing humiliation”, hence the meaning “one with high self-esteem” sometimes given to it: that is a different word with different vowels.
The name Ubayy does not appear as such in the Quran, but its root (أ ب و) occurs 117 times. Examples:
إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّى رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِى سَٰجِدِينَ ٤
[Of these stories mention] when Joseph said to his father, "O my father, indeed I have seen [in a dream] eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me."
وَجَٰهِدُوا۟ فِى ٱللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِۦ هُوَ ٱجْتَبَىٰكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ هُوَ سَمَّىٰكُمُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِى هَٰذَا لِيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ فَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ هُوَ مَوْلَىٰكُمْ فَنِعْمَ ٱلْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ ٱلنَّصِيرُ ٧٨
And strive for Allāh with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham. He [i.e., Allāh] named you "Muslims" before [in former scriptures] and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So establish prayer and give zakāh and hold fast to Allāh. He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper.
إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ يَٰٓأَبَتِ لِمَ تَعْبُدُ مَا لَا يَسْمَعُ وَلَا يُبْصِرُ وَلَا يُغْنِى عَنكَ شَيْـًٔا ٤٢
[Mention] when he said to his father, "O my father, why do you worship that which does not hear and does not see and will not benefit you at all?
All the words of the root أ ب و in the Quran (117 occurrences)
إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَقْرَأَ عَلَيْكَ {لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا} ". قَالَ وَسَمَّانِي قَالَ " نَعَمْ ". فَبَكَى.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَقْرَأَ عَلَيْكَ " . قَالَ آللَّهُ سَمَّانِي لَكَ قَالَ " اللَّهُ سَمَّاكَ لِي " . قَالَ فَجَعَلَ أُبَىٌّ يَبْكِي .
" أَرْحَمُ أُمَّتِي بِأُمَّتِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَأَشَدُّهُمْ فِي أَمْرِ اللَّهِ عُمَرُ وَأَصْدَقُهُمْ حَيَاءً عُثْمَانُ وَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِالْحَلاَلِ وَالْحَرَامِ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ وَأَفْرَضُهُمْ زَيْدُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ…
إِنِّي أَرَى لَوْ جَمَعْتُ هَؤُلاَءِ عَلَى قَارِئٍ وَاحِدٍ لَكَانَ أَمْثَلَ. ثُمَّ عَزَمَ فَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، ثُمَّ خَرَجْتُ مَعَهُ لَيْلَةً أُخْرَى، وَالنَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَةِ قَارِئِهِمْ…
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Ubayy 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.
