When al-Hasan was born, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came and said: “Show me my son; what did you name him?ʿ I said: I named him Harb [which means ʿwarʿ]. He said: ʿRather he is Hasan.” When al-Husain was born, he said: ʿShow me my son; what did you name him?ʿ I said: I named him Harb, He said: ʿRather he is Husain.” When the third one was born, the Prophet ﷺ said: ʿShow me my son; what did you name him?ʿ I said: Harb, He said: “Rather. he is Muhassin.” Then he said: “I have named them after the fashion of the sons of Haroon, Shabbar and Shabeer and Mushabbir.”
لَمَّا وُلِدَ الْحَسَنُ جَاءَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ أَرُونِي ابْنِي مَا سَمَّيْتُمُوهُ؟ قُلْتُ سَمَّيْتُهُ حَرْبًا قَالَ بَلْ هُوَ حَسَنٌ فَلَمَّا وُلِدَ الْحُسَيْنُ قَالَ أَرُونِي ابْنِي مَا سَمَّيْتُمُوهُ؟ قُلْتُ سَمَّيْتُهُ حَرْبًا قَالَ بَلْ هُوَ حُسَيْنٌ فَلَمَّا وَلَدْتُ الثَّالِثَ جَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَالَ أَرُونِي ابْنِي مَا سَمَّيْتُمُوهُ؟ قُلْتُ حَرْبًا قَالَ بَلْ هُوَ مُحَسِّنٌ ثُمَّ قَالَ سَمَّيْتُهُمْ بِأَسْمَاءِ وَلَدِ هَارُونَ شَبَّرُ وَشَبِيرُ وَمُشَبِّرُ