Is it permissible to address a preacher or a mufti as "Mawlay," and is this word exclusive to Allah, the Almighty?
There is no harm in a Muslim saying to another Muslim, "Ya Mawlaya" (O my master/patron), because believers are protectors/allies of one another, and "al-Mawla" is applied to the beloved, the one who loves, the friend, the helper, and other meanings, and it is not exclusive to Allah, the Exalted. It has been reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Let none of you say, 'Feed your lord...' but rather let him say, 'My master, my mawla'," which indicates the permissibility of using it. There has been disagreement regarding the addition of "And let none of you say, 'My mawla,' for indeed your Mawla is Allah," but its omission has been preferred.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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