In previous lectures, perhaps more than once, I erred in mentioning a point of Arabic language regarding the phrase “Yaa Allaah” – that the Arabs used the phrase “Allaahumma” to replace it.
On the Salafitalk Forum (the older, currently uneditable version of Salafitalk.com), I wrote:
As a note for proper pronunciation: Yaa Allaah would be pronounced together as: Yallaah (saying the yaa’ and going right to the laam), since the hamza in Allaah’s name is hamzat al-wasl, however saying “Allaahumma” instead is the usage found in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. And Allaah knows best.
Today I was sent an authentic hadeeth which proves that at least one Companion supplicated saying, “Yaa Allaah,” and it was approved by the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace), disproving my mistaken claim. A Companion was saying the following supplication at the end of his formal prayer, after the tashah-hud:
اللهم إني أسألك يا الله بأنك الواحد الأحد الصمد الذي لم يلد ولم يولد ولم يكن له كفوًا أحد أن تغفر لي ذنوبي إنك أنت الغفور الرحيم
Allaahumma (O Allaah)! Verily I ask you, yaa Allaah, as You are al-Waahid (the One), al-Ahad (another name meaning “the One”), as-Samad (the Eternal), the One who has no offspring nor was He born, nor is there anyone similar to Him, that You forgive me for my sins! Verily, You are al-Ghafoor (the Forgiving), ar-Raheem (the Ever Mercilful)!
Upon hearing this, the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) repeated (what means), “He has been forgiven,” three times. The hadeeth was collected by Aboo Daawood (#985), an-Nasaa’ee (#1301), and it is authentic.
While many scholars mention that “Allaahumma” is used to mean “Yaa Allaah“, it is not only permissible to say “Yaa Allaah” based on this clear hadeeth, it should be known that it is an established Sunnah.
ARABIC BENEFIT: Regarding the assumed problem with the pronunciation, that the alif in Allaah’s Name is actually hamzat al-wasl, which means it should be pronounced “Yallaah” ( يا الله ), and not “Yaa Allaah” ( يا ألله ), the early scholars of Arabic have exempted this alif from its original rule, and have allowed a hamzah to be added and pronounced, thus legitimizing the pronunciation of “Yaa Allaah”. See: al-Kitaab of Seebooyah (4/109) and more importantly: as-Sahaah of al-Jowharee (5/1798 under laam-yaa-haa).
The bottom line: The phrase “yaa Allaah” ( يا ألله ) used to call upon Allaah is correct and in no way problematic, as it is a phrase used in an authentic supplication from the Sunnah.
Please make a note of this if you learned this mistake from me, and help me to correct it by informing anyone you know who may have heard it from me as well, and may Allaah reward you.
Written by: Moosaa Richardson
*Special thanks to my brother, Naveed Khawaja (may Allaah bless him and his family), for sending me the hadeeth today.
As salamu alaykum,
Alhamdulillah this is very beneficial, Barakullah feek. I believe that you mentioned the opposite in your tafsir of juz amma (al-faatihah) class and that’s where I got my belief that it was incorrect to say “Yaa Allah”.
Now, I’m not very well-versed in Arabic but when I was in Egypt in the khutbah every week a khateeb would say “Yaa sayyiduna Muhammad, sal allahu alayhi was sallam…..” in the opening. I felt some aversion to this cause of what I know of the invocative “Yaa”. But like I said I am a beginner at the language. I also read something about the “sayid” too I believe from Muhammad al-imam, hafithahullah, but if you have any info on that it’s welcoming as well.
its great to see a salafi taalib ul-ilm admitting a mistake/error they made immediately, when a proof comes to them from the Quran or Sunnah, as opposed to what is seen from the deviant sects. May Allah reward you and forgive me and yourself.
Assalaamu aleikum dear brother,
In the Arabic text of the hadith you wrote it with a hamzatulwasl. Shouldn’t it be with hamzatulqat3 in this context?
baarakAllaahufiek
As I’m already commenting, I also have a question: do you know if the known word “yalla” in the meaning of “hurry up” comes from this tarkeeb? Or has it another asl?
wa ‘alaykas-salaamu wa rahmatullaah.
1. It’s hamzat al-wasl originally, it can be altered to show a hamzat al-qat’.
2. It seems that “Yalla” said in many Arab lands comes from “Yaa Allaah”, and Allaah knows best.
If I’m not mistaken, saying Ya Rasulullah is not allowed because the word Ya is a form of invocation. We can invoke only Allah and none others when they have already passed away. Wallahu a’alam
Assalaamu’alaykum Ustaadh,
I wish to understand something… Allaah says,
“Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then, He Istawa (rose above) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He has subjected the sun and the moon (to continue going round)! Each running (its course) for a term appointed. He regulates all affairs, explaining the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail, that you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord.” [Meaning of 13:2]
We believe that the Qur’aan is Allaah’s speech. So why doesn’t Allaah say “I” or the royal “We” like in other places in the Qur’aan because “I”, “We”, etc. are used in first person narratives right? But “He” appears in a third person narrative correct? [slightly abridged by admin]
Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. Allaah has the right to speak about Himself using the 1st person (I, We) and the 3rd person (He is the One who…) We learn from His Speech about what Actions or kinds of Speech are befitting His Majesty. As an important principle that this question overlooks: He is not questioned by His servants about His Actions, rather He is the One who shall question them about their actions. See: Quran 21:23, and Allaah knows best.
Abu Iyaad on this issue:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHBnkp0SRW4
Assalamualykum wa rahmatullah wa barkatahu
I want to know that I lost my two young brothers may Allah forgive them, what acts can I do on there behalf I know I can’t read Quran for them what more I can do like ,can I give charity on there behalf and can I feed poor people. please ?
one more question is what is to be said when two people departs like Assalamualykum is correct please share Hadith.
Assalaamu ‘Alaykum Brother,
May Allah reward you for your efforts and bless you with all the work you continue to do.
Question: Is there an issue with putting ‘Yaa’ in front of someone’s name. For example, ‘Yaa Hamza.’ I know of a situation where the ‘Yaa’ has been put in front of someone’s name when they have been told something by another person.
I hope this is clear enough.
JazakAllah Khair.
Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaah. That’s fine, when one person calls upon another person who is alive, present, and capable of responding and fulfilling the request. Otherwise, using “YAA” or “HEY YOU” any other linguistic device to call upon and request things from the dead is shirk (polytheism).