Names and Titles

11. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Salih al-Sindiy from Ja‘far ibn Bashir from Sa‘id ibn Khuthaym from Mu’ammar ibn Khuthaym who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far عليه السلام, once asked me, ‘What is your Kunyah (father of so and so or son of so and so)?’ I replied, ‘I have no Kunyah yet; I have no son or wife or daughter.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What keeps you from having one?’ I replied, ‘It is a Hadith which is narrated from Ali عليه السلام. ’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What is it?’ I replied, ‘Ali عليه السلام, has said, “If one adopts a Kunyah and he does not have a wife he then is father of al-Ja‘r (dried up dung).”’ Abu Ja‘far عليه السلام, then said that it is forged and it is not of Hadith of Ali عليه السلام. We give Kunyah to our children in their childhood for fear of bad names being ascribed to them.’”