Aswad (Name)

Aswad (transliteration: Aswad, Arabic: أسود) is an Arabic name for boys that means “higher in rank”, “higher in status”, “highest in rank”, “highest in status”.¹ Aswad also means “black-colored”, and this is latter meaning is the one in common use today.² The word Aswad is used in the Quran in verse 2:187:

Permitted for you is intercourse with your wives on the night of the fast. They are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them. God knows that you used to betray yourselves, but He turned to you and pardoned you. So approach them now, and seek what God has ordained for you, and eat and drink until the white streak of dawn can be distinguished from the black streak. Then complete the fast until nightfall. But do not approach them while you are in retreat at the mosques. These are the limits of God, so do not come near them. God thus clarifies His revelations to the people, that they may attain piety.

There are 41 Companions of the Prophet Muhammad named Aswad:

• al-Aswad bin Abyadh لأسود بن أبيض
• al-Aswad bin Abi al-Aswad al-Nahdi لأسود بن أبي الأسود النهدي
• al-Aswad bin Asram al-Muharibi لأسود بن أصرم المحاربي
• al-Aswad bin Aqeesh al-Nakh`ee لأسود بن أقيش النخعي
• al-Aswad bin Abi al-Bakhtari لأسود بن أبي البختري
• al-Aswad bin al-Bakhtari bin Khuwailid لأسود بن البختري بن خويلد
• al-Aswad bin Tha`labah al-Yarboo`i لأسود بن ثعلبة اليربوعي
• al-Aswad bin Hazim bin Safwan bin Arar لأسود بن حازم بن صفوان بن عرار
• al-Aswad ibn Harithah لأسود بن حارثة
• al-Aswad bin Haram لأسود بن حرام
• al-Aswad bin Khuza`i al-Aslami لأسود بن خزاعي الأسلمي
• al-Aswad bin Khutamah al-Kinani لأسود بن خطامة الكناني
• al-Aswad bin Khalf لأسود بن خلف
• al-Aswad bin Khalf bin Abd Yaghooth al-Qarashi لأسود بن خلف بن عبد يغوث القرشي
• al-Aswad bin Rabee`ah bin al-Aswad al-Yashkuri لأسود بن ربيعة اليشكري
• al-Aswad bin Rabee`ah al-Handhali لأسود بن ربيعة الحنظلي
• al-Aswad bin Zayd bin Tha`labah لأسود بن زيد بن ثعلبة
• al-Aswad bin Saree` bin Himyar bin Ubadah لأسود بن حمير بن عبادة
• al-Aswad bin Sufyan bin Abdul Asad لأسود بن سفيان بن عبد الأسد
• al-Aswad bin Salamah bin Hijr لأسود بن سلمة بن حجر
• al-Aswad bin Sharaheel لأسود بن شراحيل
• al-Aswad abu Aamir لأسود أبو عامر
• al-Aswad bin Aamir bin Uwaymir لأسود بن عامر بن عويمر
• al-Aswad (father of Aamir bin al-Aswad) لأسود والد عامر بن الأسود
• al-Aswad bin Abdul Asad لأسود بن عبد الأسد
• al-Aswad bin Abd al-Sadusi al-Yamani لأسود بن عبد السدوسي اليماني
• al-Aswad bin Abd Shams لأسود بن عبد شمس
• al-Aswad bin Abs لأسود بن عبس
• al-Aswad bin Imran al-Bakri لأسود بن عمران البكري
• al-Aswad bin Awf al-Zahri لأسود بن عوف الزهري
• al-Aswad bin Uwaim al-Sadusi لأسود بن عويم السدوسي
• al-Aswad bin Qutbah abu Mufazzir لأسود بن قطبة أبو مفزر
• al-Aswad bin Kulthum al-Adawi لأسود بن كلثوم العدوي
• al-Aswad bin Malik al-Asadi al-Yamani لأسود بن مالك الأسد اليماني
• al-Aswad bin Mas`ud al-Thaqafi لأسود بن مسعود الثقفي
• al-Aswad bin Maghra bin Sharaheel لأسود بن مغرا بن شراحيل
• al-Aswad bin Nawfal لأسود بن نوفل
• al-Aswad bin Hisham لأسود بن هشام
• al-Aswad bin Hilal al-Muharibi لأسود بن هلال المحاربي
• al-Aswad bin Wahb bin Abd Manaf لأسود بن وهب بن عبد مناف
• al-Aswad bin Yazeed bin Qais al-Nakh`i لأسود بن يزيد بن قيس النخعي

Below is the name Aswad written in Arabic naskh script:

Below is the name Aswad written in Arabic kufi script:

1. Mukhtaar al-Sihaah by al-Razi (d. 1266 CE), entry for سود.
2. Al-Misbaah al-Muneer by al-Fayyumi (d. 1368 CE), entry for سود.