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From: jamal@caen.engin.umich.edu (Jamal Mubarak)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam
Subject: Re: Ahadith dilemma: # of prayers/day
Message-ID: <1991Jun7.132518.13476@wpi.WPI.EDU>
Date: 7 Jun 91 13:25:18 GMT
References: <1991Jun6.010816.3944@nntp-server.caltech.edu>
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In article <1991Jun6.010816.3944@nntp-server.caltech.edu> bes@tybalt.caltech.edu (Behnam Sadeghi) writes:
>
>Concerning the woman who said "Ya Ali," when she stood up:  
>
>We must be reminded that Islam is not to be blamed for 
>everything each individual Muslim does.  I doubt that we can 
>find any Muslim scholar (Shia or Sunni) who believes that 
>Imam Ali or any other dead human being has the inherent power 
>to help somebody rise up. (This is assuming that saying "Ya Ali" 
>is a request for such aid).  We can always find Muslims who do 
>things that contradict the spirit of Islam.
>
>On the other hand, if somebody says "Ya Ali" merely for
>remembering him or paying respect to him, then there would 
>obviously  be nothing un-Islamic about it. (All "Ya Ali" means 
>is "O, Ali").

>Behnam Sadeghi

I agree with you fully, Behnam.  However, let me point out a practice of the
Ismailis, who are an offshoot of the Shia sect but perhaps can be 
referred to as one of the "more or less extremist sects" (Britannica).
They often say "Ya Ali, madad."  In fact this is something of a greeting
amongst them, I am given to believe.  I may be wrong about this but at times
they use it instead of saying salaam.  Needless to say I am quite opposed to
this.  Can anyone confirm?

Wassalaam,

Jamal