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﴿ فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴾

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What is the ruling on using the term "our master" for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and others?

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Question:
This is a message we received from Sudan, from Abu Hashim al-Hasan al-Buhari al-Husayn, a student at the Institute of Education. He says in his message: What is the ruling on using the term "our master" for the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and for the awliya (close friends of Allah) and the righteous, and what is the ruling on naming human beings with the names of majesty, such as al-Sabur (the Patient) and al-Aziz (the Almighty), or perhaps al-Basir (the All-Seeing) and al-Aziz, and others?
Please inform us, may Allah reward you.

Answer:
Using the term "our master" for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is correct; because he is the master of the children of Adam (peace and blessings be upon him). It is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
I am the leader of the sons of Adam, and it is no boastأنا سيد ولد آدم ولا فخر
Sunan Ibn Majah 4308Sahih (Darussalam)
So he is the master of the servants, and the master of the Muslims. If a man says regarding him: "Our master Muhammad, O Allah, send blessings upon our master Muhammad," there is nothing wrong with this. He is the master of the children of Adam (peace and blessings be upon him), and he is the master of creation. The reason it was disliked for people to use it during his lifetime was so that they would not exaggerate; he feared they would exaggerate regarding him. When they said to him: "You are our master," he said:
The lord is Allah, the Blessed and Exaltedالسيد الله -تبارك وتعالى-
Sunan Abi Dawud 4806Sahih (Al-Albani)
This was to block the means to harm; he feared they would exaggerate regarding him (peace and blessings be upon him). Now that he has passed away (peace and blessings be upon him), and we have been informed that he is the master of the children of Adam, there is nothing wrong with us saying: "Our master" (peace and blessings be upon him). He is our best and our master and our leader, and he is the intimate friend of the Merciful (peace and blessings be upon him).
As for the rest of the people, it is better not to say "our master," and they should not be addressed with this. However, if it is said: "So-and-so is their master," meaning: their chief, "their master is so-and-so," meaning: their leader, the sheikh of their tribe, there is nothing wrong with this. Just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his son al-Hasan:
Indeed, this son of mine is a chiefإن ابني هذا سيد
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3773Sahih (Darussalam)
And he said:
Who is the master of the Banu so-and-so, who is the master of the Banu so-and-soمن سيد بني فلان، من سيد بني فلان
And he said to the Companions on the day Sa'd ibn Mu'adh came to judge the Banu Qurayzah:
Rise to your master.قوموا إلى سيدكم
This is not a problem. But for him to face him and say: "O our master," it is better to leave that; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The lord is Allah, the Blessed and Exaltedالسيد الله -تبارك وتعالى-
Sunan Abi Dawud 4806Sahih (Al-Albani)
And because this may lead to arrogance; if this phrase is said to him, it may lead to arrogance and exaggeration regarding him. So it is better to tell people: "Do not say 'our master,'" meaning: he advises them and tells them, "Do not say: 'O our master,' say: 'O our brother,' 'O Abu so-and-so,' that is sufficient.
As for if it is said in the sense of attribution: "Who is the master of the Banu so-and-so?" This is so-and-so, the master; because he is from the house of prophethood, or because he is a jurist, or a scholar, or noble in his character and deeds, or generous and kind, there is nothing wrong with it. But if it is feared that using the term "master" will cause him to become arrogant or to think highly of himself; that should be left.
And this should not be said to the disbeliever, nor to the hypocrite, nor to the sinner. It is not appropriate to say to him: "Master." This is only said to the elderly scholar, the jurist, the scholar, the leader, who is known for reform and good, known for forbearance, virtue, and generosity. Meaning: if it is said to him: "Master," there is nothing wrong with it. As for addressing him as "O our master," it is better to leave that. Yes.

The presenter: But it is permissible to say: "O master of his people," if he is...

Answer: If he says: "Master of his people," there is nothing wrong with it. "O master of his people," or "O master of the Banu so-and-so," "O master of the Banu Tamim," "O..."

The presenter: And if he were, for example... I do not mean that.

The Shaykh: Because he is their chief, there is nothing wrong with it.

The presenter: Regarding the hypocrite or...

The Shaykh: If he is their chief, there is nothing wrong with it.

The presenter: Yes, he says: "O master of so-and-so," or "O master of the Banu so-and-so," or...

The Shaykh: If he is their chief, there is nothing wrong with it.
Source binbaz.org.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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