Names and nicknames in political and sectarian controversies, a critical study of orientalists view on “Abu Turāb”

Abu Turāb is a title (kunyah) associated with ‘Ali b. Abi Tālib. Historical accounts report that it was initially assigned by the Prophet Muhammad and over time gained popularity. However, a dual approach to this nickname was taken; ‘Ali's opponents used it as a derogatory term, and his advocates as a praise. This led to debates and inquiries regarding the Prophet's intention of bestowing this name upon him and whether it was derogatory or pejorative. There have been claims by some orientalists that Shi‘ites have attempted to elevate the status of Abu Turāb by fabricating hadiths, portraying it as a praiseworthy name. This article by analyzing historical accounts, will show how the Umayyads employed propaganda tactics to vilify ‘Ali, utilizing the hadiths attributed to the Prophet of Islam. Their primary objective was to consistently refer to ‘Ali by this name in order to disregard the numerous honorable titles of ‘Ali b. Abi Tālib. In this essay, I will introduce a theory that initially, the Shi‘ites refrained from using this name as a result of the propaganda spread by the Umayyads. However, after the decline of the Umayyad dynasty, it became widespread among both Shi‘ites and Sunnis as a commendatory title.

کلیدواژه ها:

orientalists ، Abu Turāb ، nickname ، Title Kunyah ، Imam ‘ Ali