Darulifta Ahlesunnat
(Dawateislami)
Question
What do the noble scholars and jurists of Islamic law say about the following: How is it to address The Prophet ﷺ by saying Ya Muhammad (Oh Muhammad)?
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Addressing The Prophet ﷺ with his name by saying Oh Muhammad is impermissible and Haraam. In The Holy Qur’an, Allah Almighty prohibited from addressing The Messenger ﷺ with his name. Therefore, rather than addressing him by his name, honorable titles should be used, such as Oh Messenger of Allah, Oh Beloved of Allah, Oh Prophet of Allah, Oh Leader of The Messengers, Oh Final Prophet, Oh Intercessor of the sinners صلى الله تعالى عليه و سلم.
It is stated in The Holy Qur’an about the prohibition of saying Ya Muhammad:
﴿لَا تَجْعَلُوْا دُعَآءَ الرَّسُوْلِ بَیْنَکُمْ کَدُعَآءِ بَعْضِکُمْ بَعْضًا﴾
Translation (Kanz-ul- ‘Irfan): O people! Do not make the calling of the Messenger between yourselves the way you call one another.(Al-Quran, Part 18, Surah Al-Nur, Verse 63)
It is stated in Tafsir Al-Khazin under this:
معناه لا تدعوه باسمه، كما يدعو بعضكم بعضا يا محمد يا عبد اللہ، و لكن قولوا يا نبيّ اللہ يا رسول اللہ في لين و تواضع
Translation: This means, don’t address him with his name as some of you address others by saying Oh Muhammad, Oh Abdullah. Instead, say: Oh Prophet of Allah and Oh Messenger of Allah with gentleness and with humility. (Tafsir Al-Khazin, Vol. 3, p. 307, Publ. Dar Al-Kutub Al- ‘Ilmiyah, Beirut)
It is stated in Tafsir Ibn Kasir:
عن ابن عباس :کانوا یقولون ’’یا محمد، یا ابا القاسم‘‘ فنھا ھم اللہ عز و جل عن ذلک، اعظاما لنبيه، صلوات اللہ و سلامه عليه قال: فقالوا: يا رسول اللہ، يا نبی اللہ
Translation: It is narrated from Ibn Abbas رضي الله تعالى عنه that people would say, ‘Oh Muhammad, Oh Abu Al-Qasim.’ So Allah Almighty prohibited them from that to honor his Prophet ﷺ. Ibn Abbas رضي الله تعالى عنه says: Then the Sahabah would say: Oh Messenger of Allah, Oh Prophet of Allah. (Tafsir Ibn Kasir, Vol. 6, p. 88, Publ. Dar Taibah)
My Master, A’la Hazrat, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رحمة الله تعالى عليه states in Fatawa Razawiyah:
یہاں اُس کایہ بندوبست فرمایاکہ اس امتِ مرحومہ پراس نبی کریم علیہ افضل الصلوۃ و التسلیم کانام پاک لے کرخطاب کرنا ہی حرام ٹھہرایا، قال اللہ تعالی: (لَا تَجْعَلُوْا دُعَآءَ الرَّسُوْلِ بَیْنَکُمْ کَدُعَآءِ بَعْضِکُمْ بَعْضًا ) اللہ تعالیٰ نے فرمایا: رسول کاپکارناآپس میں ایسانہ ٹھہرالو جیسے ایک دوسرے کو پکارتےہوکہ اے زید، اے عمرو، بلکہ یوں عرض کرو: یا رسول اللہ، یا نبی اللہ، یا سید المرسلین، یا خاتم النبیین، یا شفیع المذنبین، صلی اللہ تعالی علیک و سلم و علی اٰلک اجمعین۔۔۔ لہذا علماء تصریح فرماتے ہیں، حضور اقدس صلی اللہ تعالی علیہ و سلم کو نام لے کر ندا کرنی حرام ہے اور واقعی محلِ انصاف ہے، جسے اس کامالک و مولیٰ تبارک و تعالیٰ نام لے کر نہ پکارے، غلام کی کیا مجال کہ راہِ ادب سے تجاوز کرے۔۔۔ یہ مسئلہ مہمہ جس سےاکثراہل زمانہ غافل ہیں، نہایت واجب الحفظ ہے۔
Translation: Here, Allah settled the matter by declaring it Haraam on this blessed Ummah to address The Messenger عليه افضل الصلاة و التسليم with his name. Allah Almighty states: لَا تَجْعَلُوْا دُعَآءَ الرَّسُوْلِ بَیْنَکُمْ کَدُعَآءِ بَعْضِکُمْ بَعْضًا“O people! Do not make the calling of the Messenger between yourselves the way you call one another,” such as Oh Zaid or Oh Umar. Instead plead in this way: Oh Messenger Of Allah, Oh Prophet of Allah, Oh Leader of the Messengers, Oh Final Prophet, Oh Intercessor of the sinners صلى الله تعالٰی عليك و سلم و على اٰلك اجمعين… Thus, the scholars explicitly state: Calling the Prophet ﷺ by his name is Haraam, and this is justice. After all, whom the Master تبارك و تعالٰى does not call by name, then how can the servants dare to overstep the limits of respect? This important issue, about which the majority of people in our time are unaware, must be remembered. (Fatawa Razawiyyah, Vol. 30, p. 156-158, Publ. Raza Foundation, Lahore)
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم
(Allah Almighty knows best and His Messenger صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم knows best.)
Answered By: Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari
Ref No: FAM-477
Date: 5th Muharram Al-Haraam 1445 AH/ 12th July 2024
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