Direct Addressing in Absentia (to call upon someone other than Allah) Few Conditions & Shariah Rulings, By Maulana Yusuf Ludhianvi Shaheed
Compiled By: Mufti Umar Anwar Badakhshani
Amongst this is the one pertinent question as to whether it is permissible to say “Yaa Rasulallah!” or not? My opinion on the matter is that there are numerous occasions and manners in which one says “Yaa Rasulallah”, and the ruling for each one differs. For example:
Addressing somebody in imagination by poets in their poetry
1) one way is when a poet who in his poetical imagination addresses perhaps the mountains, a jungle, or some animal, etc. In this way he is not really talking to the thing he is addressing, his speech to and he does not have this belief that the addressee is listening to him or will answer, this is merely a way of expressing his emotions. If in such circumstances the poet remembers the name of Nabi (sallAllahu alaihi wasallam) and addresses him, then my opinion is that it will be permissible and correct.
Addressing someone in absentia with expression of love
2) The second way is when a person addresses his beloved. In this manner if a person calls out to Nabi (sallAllahu alaihi wasallam) to express his love for him, where his object is not to actually call Nabi (PBUH), as though he is speaking to him. Or like when a mother who had lost her child calls out the child’s name, knowing full well that the child will not hear her call in his grave, but this is merely her way of giving vent to her emotions. This is like an instinctive and involuntary action, spurred by love and emotion.
In similar manner, if a person calls out to Nabi (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) out of love for him, knowing and believing that his call will not reach the grave of Nabi (PBUH), then such a call would be permissible, provided there is no disorder in his Aqa’id (beliefs).
Use of direct address for the purpose of presenting Durood in the Holy Court
3) Another way is when a person says Durood in the specific form of “As-Salatu was Salamu Alaika Yaa Rasulallah”, believing that the specially appointed angels of Allah will convey this Durood to Nabi‟s (PBUH) grave. This act would also not be regarded as impermissible, because Nabi (PBUH) said:
من صلى علي عند قبري سمعته ومن صلى علي نائيا ابلغته
“Whosoever sends Durood at my graveside, I hear him, and whoever send s Durood on me from afar, it is conveyed to me.” [Mishkat, page 87]
It is reported in another Hadith:
ان لله ملائكة سياحين في الارض يبلغوني من امتي السلام
“Indeed there are some angels of Allah Ta`ala who traverse the earth and convey to me the salaams of my Ummat.” [Ibid. page 86]
Another Hadith states:
لا تجعلوا بيوتكم قبورا ولا تجعلوا قبري عيدا وصلوا علي فان صلاتكم تبلغني حيث كنتم
“Do not make our homes graves and do not make my grave an object of festivities. Send Durood upon me, because indeed your Durood is conveyed to me wherever you are.” [Ibid]
Although the correct way will be to recite Durood in the methods and words taught to us by Nabi (PBUH) and not to use the terms of addressing him directly, nevertheless, if one uses the words Yaa Rasulallah in this context without there being any fear of one’s Aqa’id (beliefs) spoiling or that of another who is listening being spoilt, then such words cannot be regarded as impermissible.
Addressing with assumption and belief of physical presence
4) The fourth way is to say Yaa Rasulullah and to harbor this belief that just as Allah listens to every word all the time, since He is Omnipresent, so too one believes Nabi’s (sallAllahu alaihi wasallam) condition (that he is hazir-o-nazir), then in such a case I regard this to be totally impermissible.
Such a belief, as mentioned before is incorrect and there is neither consent nor leeway for it in the Qur’an nor the Sunnah nor the beliefs of the Ahle Sunnah. Since the general masses have scant regard for the limits of the Shariah, the Salf-e-Salihen have exercised great caution in such matters. It is reported from Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Mas’od (R.A) in Bukhari:
“As long as Nabi (PBUH) was present in our midst, we used to say “Assalaamualaika Ayyuhan Nabi”, when reciting Attahiyaat. But after his demise we replaced these words with “Alan Nabi”. [page 926, vol.2]
The object of the Sahabah (R.A) was to show that in the “Attahiyaat” the words which indicated to Nabi (PBUH) being directly addressed was not indicative or based on this belief that he was omnipresent and that he heard the words of every person. — No! In fact this Salam (in “Attahiyat”) refers to the Speech of Allah which He Spoke when Nabi (PBUH) went for Mi’raaj.
Addressing directly while standing in front of the Muwajaha Sharif at Rawdah Mubarak
5) The fifth way is when one who visits the grave of Nabi (PBUH) and he says “As-Salaatu Was Salaamu Alaika Yaa Rasulullah”. Since Nabi (PBUH) is alive in his grave and he hears and replies to every visitor who makes salam to him, in such an instance, it is not only permissible to say this, in fact it is commendable.
These are the few ways and manners of saying Yaa Rasulullah which I have enumerated upon and given my view on each. Now those people who say Yaa Rasulullah, what are their intentions when saying it and what is their object? The conclusion to this you can draw for yourself.
Slogan of “Yaa Ali” or “Yaa Gauth Azam”
However, it is important that I draw your attention here to two issues:
1) The first being that the Shiahs have initiated the “Na’ra e haidari: Yaa Ali”. In aping them some people have now formulated “Na’ra e Risaalat: Yaa Rasulullah”, and “Naira e Ghauthia: Yaa Ghauth!”, However, I have never come across any place from Nabi (PBUH) or the Sahabah (R.A) where they have coined a Na’ra (slogan) to replace Allahu Akbar. This is not mentioned anywhere in the Qur’an, Sunnah or Fiqh of Hanafi. Hence, I regard this as being an emulation of the Shiahs, from which the Ahle Sunnah Wal Jamaat is completely free.
2) The other issue is that just as in the way of dua and to gain nearness to Allah one calls out to Him and recites Wazifahs (incantations) using His Pure Name, similarly, some people use the names of some Buzrugs (pious people) and call out to them and recite incantations. This is completely impermissible in Islaam.
The reason being that such actions fall under the scope of Ibadat (worships) and all Ibaadat is purely for the Sake of Allah. Neither Nabi, nor the Sahabah nor any pious predecessor used the name of any other being besides Allah for the recitation of any incantations. Hadhrat Qaadhi Thanaaullaah Paani Pati Hanafi (R.A) states:
و لا يصح الذكر بأسماء الأولياء على سبيل الوظيفة أو السيفي لقضاء الحاجة كما يقرءون الجهال
“It is not permissible to make Thikr (Azkar) with the name of any of the Auliyaa as a Wazifah or as a means of achieving any objective or need, like how the ignorant one do.”[Irshaadut Taalibeen, quoted from Al-Hujjah Li Ahlis Sunnah, page 7]
(Derived From: Differences in the Ummah & the straight path)
To read more on this topic Click on this link: