Taken from: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 224❖ Clarification of the Question and Answer
Questions:
➊ What are the linguistic and technical meanings of the word "Sāḥib"?
➋ What are the linguistic and technical meanings of the word "Mawlānā"?
➌ What are the linguistic and technical meanings of the word "Ḥaḍrat"?
❖ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾAmma Baʿd!
① Linguistic and Technical Meanings of the Word "Sāḥib"
✿ Linguistic Meaning:
The word Sāḥib is an active participle derived from the verb root Ṣaḥiba - Yaṣḥabu. Its meanings include:
◄ Companion
◄ One who lives together or accompanies
◄ Owner
◄ Governor
◄ Minister
✿ Plural Forms:
◄ Ṣuḥb
◄ Aṣḥāb
✿ Technical Meaning:
The term Sāḥib can be used in the sense of “Respected Sir,” “Honourable,” “Master,” or “Owner.”
Just as the usage of Muḥtaram (Respected) and Āqā (Master) is permissible according to Sharīʿah, likewise the use of Sāḥib is also permissible.
✿ As a Prefix and Suffix:
◄ Prefix examples: Ṣāḥib al-Maʿālī, Ṣāḥib as-Sumū
◄ Suffix examples: Ash-Shaykh Sāḥib, Ustādh Sāḥib
Both usages are commonly known and widely accepted.
✿ Evidences:
In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, the word Sāḥib appears in two contexts:
➊ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Ṣallū ʿalā Ṣāḥibikum"
Here, Sāḥib means: Companion, Friend, and Religious Brother.
➋ On the occasion of ʿUmrat al-Qaḍā’, when the three days in Makkah Mukarramah were complete, the polytheists of Makkah said to ʿAlī (RA):
"Qul li-Ṣāḥibika ukhruj ʿannā"
Here, Sāḥib is used to mean: Master, Leader, and a Person in Authority.
② Linguistic and Technical Meanings of the Word "Mawlānā"
✿ Grammatical Structure:
In Mawlānā, the word Mawlā is the possessed noun (muḍāf), and nā is the first-person plural pronoun (muḍāf ilayh), meaning “our”.
✿ Various Meanings of Mawlā:
◄ Owner
◄ Master
◄ Leader
◄ Emancipator
◄ Freed Slave
◄ Giver of Favors
◄ Recipient of Favors
◄ One who Loves
◄ Companion
◄ Ally
◄ Neighbor
◄ Guest
◄ Partner
◄ Son
◄ Paternal Cousin
◄ Nephew (sister’s son)
◄ Son-in-law
◄ Relative
◄ Guardian
◄ Follower
(References: Qāmūs al-Lughāt, Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī, Tanqīḥ ar-Ruwāt, Mishkāt)
✿ Sharʿī Evidences:
◄ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Zayd ibn Ḥārithah (RA):
"Anta Akhūnā wa Mawlānā"
◄ A famous ḥadīth regarding ʿAlī (RA):
"Man kuntu Mawlāhu fa-ʿAlīyun Mawlāhu"
(Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī, Mishkāt)
✿ Technical Usage:
The usage of Mawlānā for a knowledgeable, virtuous, and dignified individual is completely permissible.
③ Linguistic and Technical Meanings of the Word "Ḥaḍrat"
✿ Linguistic Meaning:
◄ The word Ḥaḍrat means Presence and Nearness.
◄ It is used for a dignified personality who becomes the center of people’s attention and gathering.
✿ Lexical References:
◄ Al-Munjid (p. 217):
"Al-Ḥaḍrah al-ʿĀliyah tāmiru bikadhā" — “Ḥaḍrat ʿĀlī gives such and such an order.”
◄ Miṣbāḥ al-Lughāt:
The word Ḥaḍrat is used for a great person in whose presence people gather.
✿ Technical Understanding:
From these references, it is clear that terms like “Ḥaḍrat ʿĀlī” and “Janāb ʿĀlī” are synonymous. Therefore, using this term as an expression of respect and honor is permissible.
✿ Important Note:
If the word Ḥaḍrat is taken to mean “Ever-Present and All-Seeing”, or if used in accordance with grave-worshipping beliefs, then such usage is absolutely impermissible.
