Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother Burhan.

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

I wish to know the logic of using word "YA" with Messenger of Allah Prophet Mohamed (saws).

Ya Allah is a word which we say but in the case of Prophet Mohamed (saws) some peoples says Ya Muhamed (saws) and some says Mohamed (saws) which is right the word "Ya" should be used or shouldn`t be.

A friend of mine said me that "YA" is use for alive now can you please conform what is right.

Also a part of this question i would also like to ask its said that (shaheed) are always alive so is Prophet Mohamed (saws) (shaheed)

and should we use "Ya" for (shaheed) peoples also.

thanking you,

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Using the term YA or O

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The Arabic term ‘Ya’ is synonymous to the English term of address ‘O’, and is used when one is in direct correspondence or conversation with someone assuming the one being addressed can hear and respond to his call.

Allah Subhanah is indeed the One Who is All-Hearing and Ever-Living, and thus when one calls upon Him there is absolutely no harm in stating: ‘Ya Allah…..’. If one uses the term ‘Ya (so and so)….’ while addressing someone whom one is in direct conversation, there is absolutely no harm.

But to address someone who is not in direct conversation with the term ‘Ya (so and so)…..’, like someone who is far away or someone who is dead would be absolutely incorrect usage of the term! To address someone who is far away or one who is dead with the term ‘Ya (so and so)….’, and assumes that the person has the power to hear them and respond to their call would be to share an Exclusive Attribute of the Majestic Lord of being the ‘All-Hearing’ with someone in His creation; and that would constitute a manifestation of the abomination of ‘shirk’!

Your Question: Ya Allah is a word which we say but in the case of Prophet Mohamed (saws) some peoples says Ya Muhamed (saws) and some says Mohamed (saws) which is right the word "Ya" should be used or shouldn`t be.
The Noble Messenger of Allah (saws) was a human being, and after living his blessed life on earth for an appointed time, tasted death and was buried in his blessed city of Madinah. When he (saws) was alive and his companions wanted to call his attention or were in direct conversation with him, they would address him ‘Ya Rasool Allah (saws)….’. But there is never any record of any of his noble companions invoking the Prophet (saws) after his death by addressing him as if in direct conversation by using the term ‘Ya Rasool Allah (saws)…..’!!!

It would be absolutely incorrect usage of the term ‘Ya….’ to call upon someone who is far away or dead; and if one uses this term of address ‘Ya (so and so)….’ and believes that the person buried in his grave can hear or respond to their invocation, then they would be guilty of sharing an Exclusive Attribute of the Majestic Lord of being the All-Hearing with one in His creation, and thus guilty of the abomination of ‘shirk’!

The Noble Messenger of Allah (saws) is dead and cannot hear or respond to our invocations, thus it would be absolutely inappropriate to address him (saws) by using the term of address ‘Ya Mohamed (saws)’ or ‘Ya Rasool Allah (saws)’!

Your Question: A friend of mine said me that "YA" is use for alive now can you please conform what is right.
Your friend is absolutely right that the term of address ‘Ya (so and so)….’ can only be used for one who is alive and is in direct conversation or can hear the person who is addressing him.

Your Question: Also a part of this question i would also like to ask its said that (shaheed) are always alive so is Prophet Mohamed (saws) (shaheed) and should we use "Ya" for (shaheed) peoples also.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 154: And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah: "They are dead." Nay they are living though ye perceive (it) not.

Allah Subhanah Declares that those who die as martyrs in His Cause are alive with Him, but that life is not perceivable to mankind. But it is absolutely against the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah to believe that the ‘martyrs’ have the power to hear the invocation of the living after their martyrdom, or respond to their call! Allah Subhanah Alone is the All-Hearing, All-Living, and He Alone is the One Who has the Power to hear and respond to the invocations of all in His creation.

The Noble Messenger of Allah (saws) did not die the death of a ‘martyr’, but Allah Subhanah Decreed that he (saws) die a normal death on his death bed. Thus it is incorrect belief that the Messenger of Allah (saws) died the death of a ‘martyr’.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan