alasghar

Alasghar, often transliterated as al-Asghar, is an Arabic epithet meaning “the younger” or “the smaller.” It functions as a nisba or kunya used to distinguish two individuals who share the same name, similar to the use of al-Akbar meaning “the elder.” The form combines the definite article al- with asghar, the comparative form of the adjective saghır (small).

In historical and literary contexts, al-Asghar appears in genealogies and religious texts to identify a younger relative or a descendant who shares a given name with an elder counterpart. One well-known instance is Ali al-Asghar, the infant son of Husayn ibn Ali, who is commemorated in Shia traditions for his role in the events surrounding Karbala. The epithet serves to differentiate him from Ali al-Akbar, the elder son of Husayn, who is identified by the same given name with the al-Akbar epithet.

In modern usage, al-Asghar can appear as part of a person’s given name or as a family name within Arabic-speaking and Muslim communities. The epithet can be rendered in various transliterations, depending on regional linguistic conventions, and may appear with or without a space according to local naming practices.

Overall, alasghar represents a straightforward linguistic device in Arabic nomenclature for distinguishing individuals of the same name by generation, with historical examples underscoring its cultural resonance.