زُبَيْر
Boy Arabic origin Zubayr
Family of the Prophet ﷺCompanionDiminutive of zabr, “strength, firmness”; from the root of zubra, “a block of iron”
Al-Zubayr ibn al-ʿAwwam, the Prophet’s cousin ﷺ through his mother Safiyya bint ʿAbd al-Muttalib and Khadija’s nephew, embraced Islam very young; he is one of the ten Companions promised Paradise (al-Tirmidhi 3747). At the Battle of the Trench he volunteered to scout the enemy, and the Prophet ﷺ said: “Every prophet has a disciple, and my disciple is al-Zubayr” (al-Bukhari 2846). He was killed in 36 AH.
Al-Zubayr is the diminutive of zabr, a word to which the dictionaries give the meanings “stones” (those lining a well), “strength” (faris zabr, “a vigorous horseman”) and “judgement” (ma lahu zabr, “he has no judgement”). From the same root z-b-r, zubra is a block of iron, and the Quran speaks of the “blocks of iron” brought to Dhu al-Qarnayn (18:96). The name thus evokes strength and solidity. It is often spelled Zubair in English.
The name Zubair does not appear as such in the Quran, but its root (ز ب ر) occurs 11 times. Examples:
ءَاتُونِى زُبَرَ ٱلْحَدِيدِ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا سَاوَىٰ بَيْنَ ٱلصَّدَفَيْنِ قَالَ ٱنفُخُوا۟ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَعَلَهُۥ نَارًا قَالَ ءَاتُونِىٓ أُفْرِغْ عَلَيْهِ قِطْرًا ٩٦
Bring me bars of iron" - until, when he had leveled [them] between the two mountain walls, he said, "Blow [with bellows]," until when he had made it [like] fire, he said, "Bring me, that I may pour over it molten copper."
إِنَّآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ كَمَآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَعِيسَىٰ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَٰرُونَ وَسُلَيْمَٰنَ وَءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ زَبُورًا ١٦٣
Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. And We revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon; and to David We gave the book [of Psalms].
بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ وَٱلزُّبُرِ وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ٤٤
[We sent them] with clear proofs and written ordinances. And We revealed to you the message [i.e., the Qur’ān] that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them and that they might give thought.
All the words of the root ز ب ر in the Quran (11 occurrences)
Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said on the day of the battle of Ahzāb: "Who will bring me information about the enemy?" Az-Zubayr said: "I will." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said again: "Who…
إِنَّ لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ حَوَارِيًّا، وَحَوَارِيَّ الزُّبَيْرُ "
" أَبُو بَكْرٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَعُمَرُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَعُثْمَانُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَعَلِيٌّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَطَلْحَةُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَالزُّبَيْرُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَسَعْدٌ…
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Zubair 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.
