Al-Kuna Wa’L-Asma’/الکنیٰ والاسماء [Surnames and Names] [A Term of Science of Hadith]
9 Pages Posted: 10 Feb 2016
Date Written: February 5, 2016
Abstract
The Arabic word “kuna/کنیٰ” is plural of the word “kunyat/کنیۃ”. By the prefix alif lam/ال (lam ta`rif) the Kunyatun becomes al-Kunyatu (the tanwin on the last letter of the word which was a ta i.e. the nunation nun sakin sound which was shown by a second dammah on the nun is dropped and is pronounced or read as al-Kunyah. Kunyat/کنیۃ is that name which begins with the words Abu/ابو,’Umm/ أمor Ibn/ابن. For example: Abu Hurayrah Umm Salamah Ibn `Umar
Advantages of knowing the surname (al-kuniyah/الکنیۃ) The advantage of knowing the surname (al-kuniyah/الکنیۃ) of a narrator (rawi/راوی) is that the name and surname helps in understanding that they are not two persons. The reason is that in the narrations sometimes only the name (al-Ism/الاسم) is mentioned and some times only the surname (al-kuniyah/الکنیۃ).
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