Questioner: Dawood Ash-Sharif.
Huzoor (rh):Dawood Ash-Sharif. what is the meaning of Sharif?
Questioner: Well, really, I just happened to have it from my father.
Huzoor (rh):That’s all? You never bothered to find out what you mean?
Questioner: I have various meanings given to me about it. Here, some Christians, when I say I’m Sharif, they say if I’m a cowboy chief. I say no, I say that’s not the meaning. I say I’m told in Islam, Sharif is somebody who is pious.
Huzoor (rh):Noble.
Questioner: Noble.
Huzoor (rh): Right, yes.
Questioner: I say that’s the meaning in Islam.
Huzoor (rh):Yes, that’s right.
Questioner: It’s not the meaning you are attaching to it.
Huzoor (rh): You see, no, he’s also partly right. Yeah. Because the word Sharif means a man with dignity, with nobility. And because the chiefs in the olden times were elected because of their dignity and nobility, so they were also called “Shurafa” in plural. They are the very cream of the society. So all these meanings are right. Mashallah.
Questioner: Thank you.
Huzoor (rh): And why did you keep it as a secret from your wife? (laughter) All these married years you have never shared the meaning of your own name.
Questioner: She has never asked me and I have never thought of really giving meaning.
Huzoor (rh): That’s what I’m pointing out.
Questioner: Because the point is, back when we have names, we don’t really, I mean, try to find out what these names mean.
Huzoor (rh): If you had told her the true meaning of your name, she could have looked at you with more pride than she is looking at you at now. Now, you know? It is obvious that you are a very happily married couple. But if you had told her, I am a noble man, you know, perhaps respect would be added to love.
Questioner: Of course, I have not verbally told her, but I think she sees from my action in terms of prayer and so forth, that is a sign of nobility.
