Is it shirk, haram, or allowed to say “ya shaykh maddad”, “ya rasul maddad”, “ya ali maddad”, etc?

The word “Yaa” is for “Nidaa” (To Call). Calling is done to those that are present. “Yaa” can be used for a person near or far when calling out. “Far” meaning in distance where the voice would have to be raised.

The deceased neither see us, feel our call or hear us from their graves.

One may state the Hadeeth in which Rasoolullah (saw) spoke to the dead Kuffar at Badr and Nabi (saw) was asked by the companions (Radhiyallahu ‘Anhum), “Can the dead hear you?” Rasoolullah (saw) replied, “Yes.”

Muhadditheen have written, اي باذن الله
Meaning the dead hear when Allah wills (with Allah’s (swt) permission).

It is only permissible to use on Allah (swt) who is always Haadhir (present) and to attribute this quality of Allah (swt) to any other person, even a prophet, is Shirk, thus Haram.

Allah forgives all sins but shirk as mentioned on many occasion in the Qur’aan. Only Tawbah (Sincere repentance) takes this sin off ones shoulder.

They try to justify this act by saying they can help us with the permission of Allah (swt) . The issue is not whether they can help or not, the issue here is are the deceased present to hear our call?

The answer is no, they are not.

Another question that can be put forward to them, “Is Allah (swt) not sufficient to help and hear our call when we turn to him? Do we need the means of another human?”

They quoted the following…

The other which can be used on creatures as in saying “Madad” or “Pass the salt.” No one denies that one can use this on creatures (humans). If you ask for help from a person, he will have to be there. You will not exactly ask salt from Shaykh Abdul Qadir or Sayyiduna Ali (Radhiyallahu Anhu).

Also, if “Yaa” was permissible, why would any Muslim turn away from our Nabi (saw) and ask from those who followed after Nabi (saw) to help? The Companions would have used “Yaa Muhammad” and the practice would have followed. Using “Yaa” on those that are not present with such intentions is not just a Bid’ah, it is Shirk and absolutely Haram in Islam.

“The issue in saying “Yaa” is not whether one can help with the permission of Allah. It is whether one can attribute the quality of Allah (swt) to a human.”

May Allah (swt) keep all Muslims free from all types of Shirk. Ameen

And Allah knows best.

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Maulana Muhammad