Using Radi AllahuAnhu Other Than a Sahabi
All Praises is due to Almighty Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala, Peace and Blessings be upon the most perfect of creations, His Beloved Habeeb, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam his noble Family and the illustrious Sahaba Ridwanullahi Ta'ala Alaihim Ajma'een and all the pious servants of Almighty Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala.
I have been writing and reciting Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho whenever the name of the Exalted names of Glorious SaHaba and dignified Awliya Allah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhum Ajma'een is mentioned following the practice of highly ranked Ulama (Scholars) and Pious people of Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah. And for the same reason, I have been writing Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho with names of Awliya and Ulama in my notes. I found few people, sharing with me their confusion over using Radi Alllah Anhu for other than a SaHabi and I also found few deviants, who were creating cofusions in the minds of our unaware Muslims Brothers and Sisters for which I thought to provide them a note proving it to be permissible and a practice of prominent and pious scholars of Islam.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Use of Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu for other than a companion of the Beloved Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him is permissible as written in Durr al-Mukhtar:
1. To use Radi Allahu Ta’ala for a companion is Mustahab and for Taba’een and others, raHmatullahi Ta’ala Alaih is recommended and its opposite, that is , rahmatullahi Ta’ala alaih for a companion and Radi Allahu Ta’ala for Taba’een and others is also permissible. [Durr al-Mukhtar , Vol 5, Page 480]
2. Alla’ma al-Khaffaji in his Naseem ar-Riyadh [Sharah al-Shifa of Qadi Ayad Al Mailki] writes : “It is permissible to use Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Masha'ikh and others.” [Naseem ar-Riyadh, Vol 3, Page 509]
3. Shayh Abdul Haq Muhaddith al Dehalwi has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Hadrat Owais al- Qarni, who was not a companion. [Ashi’at-ul-Lama’at, Vol 4, Page 743]
4. Imam Ibn Abideen uses Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Imam Abu Hanifa at many places. [Rad Al-Muhtar, Vol 1, Printed from Deoband, Page 35, 36, 37 and Page 42 , Total Six times]
5. Imam Ibn Abideen has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Imam Shafi’i at seven places. [Page 35, 38, 41, 43] and has also used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Sahl bin Abdullah al –Tustari. [Page 38] [Radd al – Muhtar, Vol 1]
6. Imam Haskafi has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Imam Shafi’i and Abdullah bin Mubarak. [Durr al-Mukhtar ,Vol 1 , Page 45]
7. Imam Fakhr al-Din Razi has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Imam Abu Hanifa. [Tafsir al-Kabir, Vol 6, Page 382]
8. Imam Ali Al Qari has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Shafi’i. [Mirqat, Vol 1, Page 3 - Bombay Edition]
9. Sayyid Ahmed Tahtawi has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Imam Abu Hanifa. [Tahtawi ‘ala al-Miraqi, Istanbul Edition, Page 11]
10. Imam Al Ghazali has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Imam Malik and Imam Shafi’i. [Ihya al-Uloom al-Deen , Vol 2, Page 7]
11. Imam Hajar al Asqalani has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Imam Bukhari and Imam Shafi’i. [Muqaddima , Fat’h al-Bari , Page 18 and 21]
12. Imam Nawawi has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Imam Muslim. [Muqaddima, Sharah Muslim , Page 11]
13. Shayh Abdul Haq Muhaddith al Dehalwi has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Imam Shafi’i and Imam Bukhari. [Ashi’at-ul-Lama’at, Vol 1 , Page 9 and 16]
14. Shaykh Al Tibrizi has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Imam Baghawi. [Muqadiima , Mishkat al Masabih]
15. Alla’ma Al-Khaffaji has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Imam Qadi Iyad. [Naseem ar-Riyadh, Page 5, Cairo Edition]
16. Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhaddith al Dehalwi has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Sayyiduna Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani al Hasani al Hussaini at more than fifteen places. [Ashi’at-ul-Lama’at, Vol1 , Page 18 and Akhbar al Akhiyar Page 15,16, 18 21, 22, 23, 24 , 209, 210, 211, 212, 213 and 214]
17. Imam Mulla Ali al Qari has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Abdullah bin Mubarak, Layth bin Sa’ad, Imam Malik bin Anas, Dawud Tai’i, Ibrahim Bin Adham and Fudayl ibn Iyaad. [Mirqat, Vol 1 , Page 27]
18. Allama Al-Sa’avi al Maliki has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu for Shaykh Suleyman Jamal, Ahmed Dardeer, Salim Hafnawi, Shaykh Ameer, Imam Abul Hasan Sahykh Saeed Adawi , Allama Mohammed bin Badeeri Dimyati, Nuruddin Ali Shabralsi, Allama Halabi, Allama Ali Ajhori, Burhan Alqi, Shamshuddin Alqami , Imam Ziyaadi, Shaykh Ramli, Shaykhul Islam Zakariyya Anasari, Jalaluddin Muhalli and Imam Suyuti. [Tafsir al-Sawi , Vol 1 , Page 3]
19. Imam al Shatnufi in [Bahjat al-Asraar] has used Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu at many places for other than companions and in Bidaya , Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu has been used for Sahib al-Hidaya by his students at many places.
1. Al quran, 98: 8
جَزَآؤُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِى مِنْ تَحْتِهَا ٱلأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَداً رِّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُواْ عَنْهُ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ
98:8 jazaauhum 'Inda rab-bihim jan-naatu 'Adnin tajriy min taHtihal anhaaru khaalidiyna fiyhaa abadaa* raDiyal-laahu 'Anhum wa raDuu 'Anh* dhaalika liman khashiya rab-bah
Their reward is - with their Lord - everlasting Gardens of Eden beneath which rivers flow, in which they will abide for ever and ever; Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him; this is for one who fears his Lord
Tafseer Madarik al – Tanzeel wa Haqa´iq Al- Tanweel [ By: Abu Al-Barakat Abdullah Ibn Ahmad Al-Nasfi ] says in explaining the above verse
{ ذٰلِكَ } أي الرضا { لِمَنْ خَشِىَ رَبَّهُ }
raDiyal-laahu 'Anhum wa raDuu 'Anh (Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him) is for those who have fear of their Lord in their heart.
And fear of Lord is more in the heart of Ulema ( scholars) as stated by Imam Razi in his tafsir:
“ When this verse is understood along with other verse then the superiority of knowledge and scholars is established because the scholars have the fear of Allah in their heart’
( Tafsir Kabir , Vol 8, page 460 , under 98:
Tafsir Ruh ul Bayaan under the above verse also gives a similar explaination.
Hence Radi Allahu Ta’ala can be used for any Islamic scholar who had correct Aqida , followed shariah and had fear and love of Allah in his heart.
The phrase Radhi Allah Anhu has two meanings: One in the mode of giving news (khabariyya) and the other in the form of supplication (dua’iyya). The translation of using this phrase in the first form would be: “Allah is pleased with him/her” and in the second: “may Allah be pleased with him/her”. When this phrase or term is used for the blessed Companions (Allah be well pleased with them all), it can be used in both forms. As such, one may say regarding a Companion: “Allah is pleased with him/her” or “may Allah be pleased with him/her”.
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As far as the students of the Companions (tabi’un), their followers (atba al-tabi’in), saints and the pious, Mujtahid Imams and all Muslims in general are concerned, it is perfectly acceptable to use this term for them in the form of supplication (dua). Allah Most High Himself uses this phrase in the Qur’an for all pious Muslims. He Most High says: “Those who have faith and do righteous deeds, they are the best of creatures. Their reward is with their Lord. Gardens of eternity, beneath which rivers flow; they will dwell therein for ever; Allah will be well-pleased with them, and they with Him. That is for such who fears his Lord.” (Surah al-Bayyinah, V. 7-8)
In the above and other such verses, Allah Most High promises His pleasure (rida) for the faithful and righteous Muslims, as He has promised many other things, such as entering paradise, immunity from punishment in Hell, salvation, etc. So, as it is permitted to make Dua for a believer that he/she enters heaven, has salvation in the hereafter, etc, it will be permitted to make Dua for him/her to obtain the pleasure of Allah Most High. Thus, there is nothing wrong in saying “Radhi Allah Anhu” (may Allah be pleased with him/her) for a non-Sahabi
Therefore, the great scholar of Hadith and Shafi’i jurist (faqih), Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah be pleased with him) states: “It is recommended (mustahab) to seek Allah’s pleasure (taraddi) and mercy (tarahhum) for the Companions (sahaba), their followers (tabi’un) and those after them such as the scholars, worshippers and all good people. Hence, one should say: “may Allah be pleased with him” or “may Allah have mercy on him”, and other similar phrases.
I hope my effort will be appreciated and my brothers and sisters in faith will surely remember me in their prayers for peace and prosperity, health and happiness and Allah’s SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala Mercy and Favour. May Almighty Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala, through the intercession of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam accept this humble effort; and may He SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala give us the Toufeeq and Hidayah to restore the true rights and respect towards our Ulama and Awliya as dictated by Islam. Aameen!!
