Abdelrahman or Abd al-Rahman or Abdul Rahman or Abdurrahman or Abdrrahman (Arabic: عبد الرحمن or occasionally عبد الرحمان; DMG ʿAbd ar-Raḥman) is a male Arabic Muslim given name, and in modern usage, surname. It is built from the Arabic words Abd, al- and Rahman. The name means "servant of the most gracious", ar-Rahman being one of the names of God in the Qur'an, which give rise to the Muslim theophoric names.^[1][2]

The letter A of the al- is unstressed, and can be transliterated by almost any vowel, often by u. Because the letter R is a sun letter, the letter l of the al- is assimilated to it. Thus although the name is written in Arabic with letters corresponding to Abd al-Rahman, the usual pronunciation corresponds to Abd ar-Rahman. Alternative transliterations include Abd ar-Rahman, Abdulrahman, Abdur Rehman, Abdul Rehman, Abidur Rahman, Abdrrahman, and others, all subject to variant spacing and hyphenation. Certain transliterations tend to be associated with certain areas, for example, Abdirahman in Somalia, Abderrahmane in French-speaking North Africa, or Abdelrahman in Egypt.

Notable people with the name include:

Early Islamic era

• Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf (581–654), Arab businessman and tycoon
• Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr (died 675), Muslim commander and eldest son of Abu Bakr
• Abd al-Rahman ibn Khalid (616–667), Umayyad governor of Homs
• Abd al-Rahman ibn Muljam (died 661), the Kharijite assassin of Ali
• Abd al-Rahman ibn Rabiah (fl. 652), Arab leader in the Khazar-Arab Wars
• Abd al-Rahman ibn Ziyad, Umayyad governor of Khurasan in 679–681
• Al-Hurr ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Thaqafi (deposed 718), Umayyad governor of Al-Andalus
• Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi (died 732), Arab leader in the Battle of Tours
• Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir al-Lakhmi (fl. 746) Umayyad governor of Al Andalus
• Abd ar-Rahman ibn Uqba (fl. 755), governor of Septimania
• Abd al-Rahman ibn Habib al-Fihri (died 755), ruler of Ifriqiya
• Yusuf ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Fihri (fl. 756), governor of al-Andalus
• Abd al-Rahman al-Awza'i (707–774), Arab lawyer
• Abd al-Rahman ibn Rustam (729–784), founder of the Rustamid dynasty
• Abd al-Rahman I (731–788), Umayyad emir in Córdoba, founded Umayyad dynasty
• Abd al-Rahman II (788–852), Umayyad emir in Córdoba
• Abd al-Rahman III (890–961), Umayyad emir in Córdoba
• Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, traditionally held to be the common ancestor of the Somali Darod clan
• Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi, also known as Azophi (903–986), Persian astronomer
• Abd al-Rahman Sanchuelo (983–1009), chief minister of Córdoba
• Abd al-Rahman IV (died 1018), Umayyad emir in Córdoba
• Abd al-Rahman V (died 1024), Umayyad emir in Córdoba
• Yusuf ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Mizzi (1256–1342), Syrian Islamic scholar

Business

• Mohamed bin Abdulrahman M. Hassan Fakhro (1906–1982), Bahraini businessman
• Abdulrahman Mohammed Jamsheer (born 1944), Bahraini businessman
• B. S. Abdur Rahman, Indian businessman

Entertainment

• Abdur Rahman Slade Hopkinson (1934–1993), Guyanese actor and Muslim convert
• Abderrahmane Abdelli (born 1958), Algerian musician
• Abdel Rahman El Bacha (born 1958), Lebanese pianist
• Abderrahmane Sissako (born 1961), Mauritanian film director
• Hadj Abderrahmane (1941–1981), Algerian actor
• Hisham Abdulrahman (born 1982), Saudi actor
• Khalid Abdulrahman (born 1966), Saudi singer
• Islah Abdur-Rahman (born 1991), British-Bangladeshi film director, actor and screenwriter

Judges and lawyers

• Abdul Rahman Saleh (prosecutor) (born 1941), Attorney General of Indonesia
• Sheikh Abdur Rehman, known as S. A. Rahman (1903–1990), Chief Justice of Pakistan
• Hassan Ali Abdul Rahman, or Hassanally A. Rahman (1909–1986), Pakistani lawyer
• Tufail Ali Abdul Rehman (1921–1975), Pakistani lawyer
• Abdel Rahman Zuabi (born 1932), Israeli judge
• Rauf Rashid Abd al-Rahman (born ca. 1941), Iraqi judge in trial of Saddam Hussein
• Abdurrahman Yalçınkaya (born 1950), Turkish judge
• Abdul Rahman al-Lahim (born 1971), Saudi human rights lawyer
• A.F.M. Abdur Rahman, judge of the High court division of Supreme Court of Bangladesh

Politicians and activists

Prisoners

• Yunis Abdurrahman Shokuri (born 1968), Moroccan held in Guantanamo
• Abdul Rahman Juma Kahm (born ca. 1969), Afghan held in Guantanamo
• Abdelrazak Ali Abdelrahman, (born 1970), Libyan held in Guantanamo
• Khalid Abdallah Abdel Rahman Al Morghi (born 1970), Saudi held in Guantanamo
• Abdul Ghappar Abdul Rahman (born 1973), Uyghur-Chinese Guantanamo detainee
• Abdul Rahman Uthman Ahmed (born 1973), Saudi held in Guantanamo
• Slimane Hadj Abderrahmane (born 1973), Dane held in Guantanamo
• Abdul Rahman al-Amri (1973–2007), Saudi held in Guantanamo who died there
• Ghanim Abdul Rahman Al Harbi (born 1974), Saudi held in Guantanamo
• Abdul Rahman Shalabi (born 1975), Saudi held in Guantanamo
• Allal Ab Aljallil Abd Al Rahman Abd (born 1975), Yemeni held in Guantanamo
• Abdul Rahman (Guantanamo detainee 357) (born 1976), Afghan detainee
• Abdul Rahman Umir Al Qyati (born 1976), Yemeni held in Guantanamo
• Khalid Saud Abd Al Rahman Al Bawardi (born 1977), Saudi held in Guantanamo
• Muhammad Abd Al Rahman Al Kurash (born 1977), Saudi held in Guantanamo
• Abdul Rahman Abdul Abu Ghiyth Sulayman (born 1979), Yemeni held in Guantanamo
• Abdul Rahman Owaid Mohammad Al Juaid (born 1980), Saudi held in Guantanamo
• Abdul Rahman Nashi Badi Al Hataybi (born ca. 1980), Saudi held in Guantanamo
• Majid Hamad Abdulrahman Al-Fareij (born ca. 1980), Saudi held in Guantanamo
• Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman Abdul Aziz Al Baddah (born 1982), Saudi held in Guantanamo
• Abdurahman Khadr (born 1982), Guantanamo detainee
• Abdul Rahman Noorani (released 2003), Afghan detained in Guantanamo
• Abd Al Rahman Abdullah Ali Muhammad, Yemeni held in Guantanamo
• Abdul Rahman Muhammad Nasir Qasim al-Yaf'i, Yemeni subjected to extraordinary rendition by the US
• Mohammed Omar Abdel-Rahman, Egyptian imprisoned by the US at a CIA black site
• Hiwa Abdul Rahman Rashul, Iraqi imprisoned by the US as a ghost detainee
• Abdul Rahman bin Arshad (born 1961 or 1962), alias Azman, accomplice of Abdul Nasir bin Amer Hamsah in the 1994 Oriental Hotel murder
• Abdul Rahman Abdullah, birth name Donny Meluda, one of the main culprits of the 2010 Kallang slashings
• Ridzuan Mega Abdul Rahman, husband of Azlin Arujunah who was accused of abusing and murdering his five-year-old son

Muslim scholars

Modern era Muslim scholars and clerics with this name are:

• Abd Al-Rahman bin Ahmad al-Zayla'i (1820–1882), Somali religious teacher
• Abdur-Rahman al-Mu'allimee al-Yamani (1894–1966), Yemeni Islamic scholar
• Abdur Rahman Chatgami (1920–2015), Islamic scholar of Bangladesh
• Abdur Rahman Kashgari (1912–1971), Uyghur Islamic scholar based in Bengal
• Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais (born 1960), imam of Grand Mosque in Mecca
• Abdul-Rahman al-Barrak, Saudi cleric
• Sheik Abd-Al-Rahman (died 2006), Iraqi cleric

Science and academia

• Abd al-Rahman al-Fasi (1631–1685), Moroccan writer on law, history, astronomy and music
• Sheikh Muhammad Abdolrahman, Persian physician
• Abd al-Rahman al-Jabarti (1753–1825), Somali–Egyptian scholar and chronicler
• Abd al-Rahman al-Rafai (1889–1966), Egyptian historian
• Omar Abdul Rahman (academic) (born 1932), Malaysian scientific adviser
• Abdulrahman al-Ansary (born 1935), Saudi archaeologist
• Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Samawi (born 1946), Yemeni economist
• Basima Abdulrahman, Kurdish-Iraqi civil engineer
• Megat Burhainuddin bin Megat Abdul Rahman, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of MAHSA University College in Malaysia

Soldiers

• Abdur Rehman Peshawari (1886–1925), Turkish soldier, journalist and diplomat
• Habib Abdoe'r Rahman Alzahier (born 1832), Yemeni participant in Aceh war
• Haji Abdul Rahman Limbong (died 1929), Malay resistance leader
• Abdurahman Fatalibeyli (1908–1954), Soviet army major who defected to the Germans in World War II
• Abdul Rahman Saleh (physician) (1909–1947), Indonesian doctor, aviator, and National Hero
• Havildar Abdul Rahman (GC) (1921–1945), Indian George Cross recipient
• Akhtar Abdur Rahman (1924–1988), Pakistani general
• Mahmoud Abdel Rahman Fahmy (1929–2006), Commander of the Egyptian Naval Forces
• Ahmed Abdel Rahman Nasser (born 1934), Egyptian air force officer

Sports

Terrorists and militants

• Abdul Rahman Haji Ahmadi, Kurdish-Iranian militant leader
• Abdurrahman Buğday (born 1959), Turkish terrorist and organized crime leader, member of Grey Wolves
• Abdul Rahman Yasin (born 1960), American terrorist wanted in connection with the 1993 World Trade Center bombing
• Atiyah Abd al-Rahman (1970–2011), Libyan suspected terrorists
• Ali Abd al-Rahman al-Faqasi al-Ghamdi (born 1973), Saudi suspected terrorist wanted by the United States
• Abdul Rahman Al-Ghamdi (born 1974), Saudi militant and terrorist
• Abd al-Rahman Bin Khalil Bin Abdallah Nur (born 1980), Saudi suspected terrorist sought by the US
• Abdul Rahman Jabarah (died 2003), Canadian Al-Qaeda militant killed in Saudi Arabia
• Ahmad Abdul-Rahman Saqr al-Fadhli (died 2004), Saudi terrorist on wanted list
• Faisal Abdulrahman Abdullah Aldakheel (died 2004), Saudi terrorist on wanted list
• Saleh Ibn Abdul Rahman Hussayen, Saudi government official accused of assisting terrorists
• Obaida Abdul-Rahman Al Otaibi, Saudi terrorist on wanted list
• Asim Abdulrahman, Egyptian Al-Qaeda militant honoured by the Taliban
• Abderrahmane Ameuroud, Algerian imprisoned in France for funding terrorist groups
• Abu Abdul Rahman, Iraqi-Canadian militant in the Iraq War

Writers

• Abderrahman El Majdoub (died 1568), Berber Moroccan poet
• Abdul Rahman Mohmand, known as Rahman Baba (1653–1711), Pashto Sufi poet
• Abdurrahman Sayyid (1831–1901), author of the chronicles of Dagestan
• Abd al-Rahman al-Kawakibi (1855–1902), Syrian Arab Nationalist writer
• Abdel Rahman Shokry (1886–1958), Egyptian poet
• Abdurahman Čokić (1888–1954), Bosniak author/sheikh
• Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghouri (1912–2004), Syrian Sufi poet, textile worker, and trade unionist
• Aisha Abd al-Rahman, known as Bint al-Shati (1913–1998), Egyptian author and professor of literature
• Abdel Rahman Badawi (1917–2002), Egyptian existentialist philosopher and poet
• Abdirahman Yabarow, Somali journalist
• Abdul Rahman Pazhwak (1919–1995), Afghan poet and diplomat
• Abdurrahman Sharafkandi (1920–1990), Kurdish-Iranian poet
• Gely Abdel Rahman (1931–1990), Sudanese poet
• Abdul Rahman Munif (1933–2004), Arabic novelist
• Abdul Rahman Ahmed Jibril Baroud (1937–2010), Palestinian poet
• S. Abdul Rahman (born 1937), Indian Tamil-language poet
• Abdel Rahman el-Abnudi (born 1938), Egyptian poet
• Taha Abdurrahman (born 1944), Moroccan philosopher
• Mayfa' Abdel Rahman (born 1951), Yemeni short story writer and journalist
• Abdul Rahman Yusuf (born 1970), Egyptian poet
• Lana Abdel Rahman, Lebanese writer

Other people

• Abdirahman Abdi, Canadian whose July 2016 death resulted in August 2016 protests
• Abdur Rahman Chughtai (1899–1975), Pakistani artist
• Abdulrahman Deria (1910-1970s), Sultan of the Habr Awal clan
• Sheikh Abdurahman Sheikh Nuur (fl. 1933), Somali, inventor of Borama script
• Abdur Rahman Hye (1919–2008), Pakistani architect
• Hassan Abdel Rahman (born 1944), Palestinian diplomat
• O. Abdurahman (born 1944), Indian Malayalam journalist
• Abd al-Rahman Mowakket (born 1946), Syrian sculptor
• Amir Abdur Rehman Cheema (ca. 1978–2006), Pakistani who attempted murder of German journalist
• Abdul Rahman al-Amoudi (active 1990–2004), Eritrean-American imprisoned on financial and conspiracy charges
• Abdu Ali Abdul Rahman, Yemeni diplomat
• Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman Al Hussein, Saudi engineer and Minister of Water and Electricity
• Abdul Rahman (convert) (born 1965), Afghan Christian who faced the death penalty for converting from Islam
• Abdulrahman Anwar Al-Awlaki (1995–2011), U.S. citizen born in Denver, Colorado; died in a drone strike in Yemen

See also

• Mohamed Abdel Rahman (disambiguation)
• Omar Abdul Rahman (disambiguation)
• Tengku Abdul Rahman (disambiguation)
• Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University, a women's university in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Rahman Bridge, a bridge crossing the Sarawak River in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
• B. S. Abdur Rahman University, a private university in Chennai (Madras), India
• Expedition of Abdur Rahman bin Auf

References