The Twelfth Spurious Argument:
NAMING PERSONS WITH NAMES SUCH AS ABDUN-NABI AND THE LIKE
Some criticize the Shias because they give their sons names like Abdun-Nabi -the Prophet's slave-, Abdur-Rasul -the Messenger's slave-, Abd Ali -the slave of Ali-, Abdul-Husayn -the slave of Husayn-, whereas such names are not permissible because servantship for other than Allah is polytheism.
THE ANSWER
Associationism is to worship other than Allah, either worshipping that thing alone or along with Allah. Worship is submitting to the worshipped taking it to be divine and godlike. However the mere using of the word servant in front of a created thing does not mean worshipping. The Holy Qur'an and many Prophetic traditions confirm this fact. Allah says,
"And marry those among you who are single and those who are fit among your male slaves and your female slaves." (24:32)
It does not mean that the slave worships his master. The same is said about names like Abdun-Nabi and Abdul-Husayn. At the same time, those who criticize the Shias for using these names, they themselves call their bosses 'my master' and they have no problem with it!
