Question:

The barelwis say "Ya Rasoolallah" (O Messenger of Allah), which is not good or not allowed. Then why is it that when somebody goes to the graveyard, he should say "Ya Ahlal Quboor" (O dwellers of the graves)? If saying "Ya Ahlal Quboor" is correct then saying "Ya Rasoolallah" should also be correct. Can you please explain this in the light of the Quran and Hadith. May Allah reward you.

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

When visiting or passing by the graveyard of Muslims, the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) has taught us to say these words:

 

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ يَا أَهْلَ الْقُبُورِ يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَنَا وَلَكُمْ أَنْتُمْ سَلَفُنَا وَنَحْنُ بِالْأَثَرِ

 

“Peace be upon you O people of the graves. You have preceded us, and we will join you.”

 

The reason why we use second person pronoun is that according to the hadith, the people in the grave can actually hear the person saying salaam to them. And they even reply back. However, the living cannot hear them.

 

(Mirqatul Mafatih vol. 4 pg. 255-256, Maktaba Rasheediya)

 

Therefore, how can one use this to substantiate believing that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is haazir and naazir i.e. omnipresent and omniscient?

 

The Barelwis, when they say ‘Ya Rasulallah’, say it believing that Rasulullah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is haazir and naazir. It is this belief that is against the teachings of Islam, because according to Islamic teachings, only Allah Ta’ala has total and perfect knowledge of everything.

 

In other words, when the Barelwis say ‘Ya Rasulullah’, they say it with a corrupt and non-Islamic belief. However, when we say ‘Ya Ahlal Quboor’ we do not say it with any corrupt and non-Islamic belief. Therefore, how can one use the latter to justify the former?

 

And Allah knows best.

Mufti Faizal Riza
Darul Ifta Australia
www.fatwa.org.au

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