- To Proclaim Ya Nabi, Ya RasulAllah

Concerning the issue of saying ‘Ya’ to anyone other than Almighty Allah, the Holy Qur’an itself addresses the Prophet many times using this prefix, for example Ya ayyuhan Nabi (O Prophet), Ya ayyuhal muzammil (O you wrapped in garments) or Ya ayyuhal mudathir (O you enveloped in garments). [Qur’an 33:46; 73:1; 74:1]

Additionally, the Noble Companions would proclaim ‘Ya Nabi’ or ‘Ya Muhammad’ on various occasions, as an expression of love and also used it after the Beloved Prophet’s wisaal from this world.

» Imam Abu Nu’aym reports that Sayyidina Abdullah ibn Umar once felt a numbness in his leg, whereupon a man said to him:

“Remember the most beloved of people to you”, so he said, “Ya Muhammad!”

[Imam Bukhari’s Adab al-Mufrad, Hadith no. 964]

» Also used by Sayyidina Abu Bakr Siddique upon the passing away of the Beloved Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him:

Sayyidina Aisha narrates that Sayyidina Abu Bakr “came riding his horse from his dwelling place in As-Sunh. He got down from it, entered the Masjid and did not speak with anybody till he came to me and went direct to the Prophet, who was covered with a marked blanket. Abu Bakr uncovered his face. He knelt down and kissed him and then started weeping and said, ‘My father and my mother be sacrificed for you, O Allah's Prophet (Ya RasulAllah)! Allah will not combine two deaths on you. You have died the death which was written for you.’”

[Bukhari, Vol. 2, Book 23, Hadith no. 333]

» It was a common practise amongst the Noble Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, to exclaim ‘Ya Muhammad’ at the time of battlefield. [Imam Tabari’s Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk]

» During the battle of Yamamah, when the Muslims began to lose ground, Sayyidina Khalid bin Walid cried out for help saying, “Ya Muhammad!” [Hafiz ibn Kathir’s al-Bidayat wa al-Nihaya]

» Imam ibn Hajar Asqalani stated, “O My Leader, O Messenger of Allah, my poems in which I have admired you, have attained nobility.” [Imam Nabahani’s al-Majmu'ah al-Nabahaniyyah fil-Mada'ih al-Nabawiyyah]

» It is related from Sayyidina Malik al-Dar, the treasurer of Sayyidina Umar Farooq, that the people suffered a drought during the caliphate of Sayyidina Umar, whereupon a man came to the grave of the Beloved Prophet and said: "O Messenger of Allah, ask for rain for your Community, for verily they have but perished," after which the Prophet appeared to him in a dream and told him: "Go to Umar and give him my greeting, then tell him that they will be watered. Tell him: You must be clever, you must be clever!"

The man went and told Sayyidina Umar, who said, "O my Lord, I spare no effort except in what escapes my power!"

[Imam Baihaqi’s Dala'il al-Nubuwwa,Vol.8, page 47; Hafiz ibn Kathir classifies it as Sahih in al-Bidayat wa al-Nihaya, Vol.5, page 168; Imam al-Asqalani classifies it as Sahih in Al-Asabah, Vol.3,  page 484]

» Sayyidina Abu Huraira narrates, “I heard the Prophet say: By the one in Whose hand is Abu al-Qasim's soul, Isa ibn Maryam shall descend as a just and wise ruler. He shall destroy the cross, slay the swine, eradicate discord and grudges, and money shall be offered to him but he will not accept it.

Then he shall stand at my grave side and say: Ya Muhammad! and I will answer him.”

[Imam ibn Hajar Asqalani in al-Matalib al-Aliya (Kuwait, 1393/1973)]

» The term ‘Ayyuhan’, which is a variant of the term 'Ya', is used by every single Muslim across the world, since the time of the Beloved Messenger of Allah – even by those who dispute it! In the Tashahud we pray during Salah, we say:

“Assalamu alayka ayyuhan-nabiyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.”

Meaning: Peace and the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you, O Prophet.

• Saying ‘Ya’ for the Deceased

Although the Ahle Sunnah wal Jamaat do not believe that the Beloved Messenger of Allah is dead, the word ‘Ya’ has been used for the deceased in both the Qur’an and Hadith. It has often been used to address the dead unbelievers, therefore the question arises: if ‘Ya’ can be used for deceased unbelievers, why can it not be used to address the Best of Creation, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him?

» The Holy Qur’an states, “Then he (Prophet Salih, upon him be peace) turned from them, and said: ‘O my people! I have indeed conveyed to you the Message of my Lord, and have given you good advice, but you like not good advisers.’'” [Qur’an 7:79]

Hafiz bin Kathir’s commentary on this verse: “These are the words of admonishment that Salih conveyed to his people after Allah destroyed them for defying Him...” And the Tafsir continues, “Salih said these words of admonishment and criticism to them after they perished, and they heard him...”

» The following incident is reported by two different Companions, regarding the Beloved Messenger of Allah addressing the dead unbelievers at Badr:

1. Sayyidina Abu Talha narrates:

On the day of Badr, the Prophet ordered that the corpses of twenty-four leaders of Quraish should be thrown into one of the dirty dry wells of Badr. When he halted at the edge of the well, he addressed the corpses of the Quraish infidels by their names and their fathers' names, “O [Ya] so-and-so, son of so-and-so and O so-and-so, son of so-and-so! Would it have pleased you if you had obeyed Allah and His Messenger? We have found true what our Lord promised us. Have you too found true what your Lord promised you?”

Sayyidina Umar said, “O Allah's Apostle! You are speaking to bodies which have no souls!”

Allah's Apostle said, “By Him in Whose Hand Muhammad's soul is, you do not hear what I say better than they do.” [Sahih Bukhari, Vol.e 5, Book 59, Hadith no. 314]

2. Sayyidina Anas bin Malik narrates:

Allah's Messenger,may Allah’s eternal peace and blessings be upon him, let the dead bodies of the unbelievers who fought in Badr (lie unburied) for three days. He then came to them and sat by their side and called them and said, “O Abu Jahl b. Hisham, O Umayya b. Khalaf, O Utba b. Rab'ila, O Shaiba b. Rabi'a, have you not found what your Lord had promised with you to be correct? As for me, I have found the promises of my Lord to be (perfectly) correct.”

Sayyidina Umar listened to the words of Allah's Messenger and said, “Allah's Messenger, how do they listen and respond to you? They are dead and their bodies have decayed.” Thereupon the Beloved Messenger said, “By Him in Whose Hand is my life, what I am saying to them, even you cannot hear more distinctly than they, but they lack the power to reply.” Then he commanded that they should be buried in the well of Badr. [Sahih Muslim, Book 40, Hadith no. 6869]

In the above reports, many facts are brought to light – not only does the Beloved Messenger use the term ‘Ya’, but he uses the term to address the dead. Upon Sayyidina Umar’s curiousity, the Beloved Messenger also clarifies that they, the deceased unbelievers, are able hear him clearly (yet today we have people claiming that the Messenger of Allah cannot hear us when we call out to him!)

» Sayyidina ibn Abbas narrated that Allah’s Messenger passed by some graves of Madinah. He turned his face towards them, and said, “Peace be on you, O people of the grave! May Allah forgive us and you. You have gone before us and we are to follow.” [Tirmidhi, Chapter 59, Hadith no. 1055]

In this supplication which the Beloved Prophet, may Allah’s eternal peace and blessings be upon him, taught the entire Ummah, he specifically uses the term ‘Ya’ i.e. ‘Ya Ahlul Quboor’ meaning ‘O people of the grave!’