Abdul Carter - What's in a name?

 

Abdul Carter and Jason Dart

Let's talk about "Abdul Carter." There was a bit of controversy over New York Giants quarterback Jason Dart. Carter criticized Dart for introducing President Trump at a rally - not that it is any of Carter's business.

I was struck by the name Abdul Carter. I have been dealing with this for decades, mostly among young men who claim to have converted to Islam. 

During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, there was a team of Saudi imams (we called them the God Squad) who would roam the joint commannd center and target Americans for conversion, including me, with offers of money, trips, gifts. They assumed that because I could speak Arabic, I would be a potential convert. I didn't take the time to explain that we in the intelligence services normally learn the languages of our potential foes....

Many of these converts take on what they think are Muslim names. I am not sure if Carter is a convert or was born into a Muslim family. In any case, I would recommend that they learn either a smattering of the Arabic language, or the concept of the 99 attributes of Allah.

Abdul cannot stand alone as a name. 

It is actually the word 'Abd (meaning "servant of") and the Arabic definite article al- (meaning "the"). It is followed by one of the attributes of Allah. 

So when I am introduced to a new convert, and he says his name is "Abdul" - I ask him "'Abd al- WHAT?" Virtually every time, I get a blank stare. This is when I cease to take them seriously. Although I am not a Muslim, I generally know more about it than they do. 

So, in deference to either Carter or his parents, I will acknowledge that his middle name is Jabbar (meaning "the compellor" or "the almighty") - the same as the basketball legend Karim Abdul Jabbar. As with both, the correct transliteration of the Arabic ( عبد الجبار ) would be 'Abd al-Jabbar. It is not a first and middle name, or a middle name and last name - it is one name. 

In the Middle East, if you introduce yourself as Abdul, you will get a puzzled look meaning 'Abd al- WHAT?