a probably silly question about Arabic names, and such [View All]

I'm probably wrong about what I think I know, here. I admit that.

I'm asking this out of ignorance. I admit that too.

Okay here goes.

Doesn't the "al" prefix in Arabic names, or phrases, for that matter, mean "the?"

Such that "al Qaeda," means "the Base?" And, for example, "Hafez al-Assad" (حافظ الأس), means "Hafez, the Assad?" Or Hafez, a member of the Assad family?

Is that part even right?

Whether that is correct, or not, what about "bin," as in "Osama bin Laden?"

For some reason, and I don't know why, I get the instinctive idea that "bin" means "of." As in "Osama of the Laden family."

Is that part right?

Should Osama's family be called the bin Ladens, or the Ladens?

This is just something I'm wondering about on a lonely, boring late night.

Anyone know?