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Salam Khan,
Thank you very much for your questions.
Ya Rasul Allah means: “O Messenger of Allah!” When Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was alive, his companions used to address him, Ya Rasul Allah. There was nothing wrong with it.
As for now, the one and only occasion we are allowed to say this is when we visit his tomb in Madinah. Then we can address him and offer our greetings of salam to him. Another occasion we address the Prophet is in salah (ritual Prayer), during attahiyyat. There we say: As-salamu `alaika ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmutu Allahi wa barakatuh (O Prophet, may the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you!)
Apart from these two instances, we must not address the Prophet, imagining that he is listening to our call. If we do so, we are attributing to him a quality, which only Allah possesses. This is namely the power to hear any one who is calling from anywhere. In that case we would be committing shirk (polytheism), a grievous sin, that is ascribing partners to Allah.
Now, to your second question:
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that there is an ongoing media war on Islam, carried out by some groups among the People of the Book. The principle of One God and one humanity taught by Islam undermines the inherent bigotry and racism of the Zionists; while for some Christians, Islam’s uncompromising stance against the polytheistic Trinitarian concept of God in Christianity is a reason to fight Islam.
They know that the Muslim belief in One God is unassailable. Yet, they try to undermine the Muslims’ faith by bringing forth charges like the one you indicated. Namely, that Allah is not the One God of the universe, but one of the many gods of the pagans of Arabia.
It is true that the Makkan pagans knew of Allah. But they believed Him to be the Creator of the universe, not as the moon god. They prayed to all the lesser gods as mediators to Allah, just as the Christians consider the saints to be the mediators to God, thereby diluting their worship to God.
There was no idol called “Allah”, though all the lesser gods of the Makkan pagans were represented by idols. As the Qur’an says, they claimed what means:
*{We only serve them [the idols] in order that they may bring us nearer to Allah.}* (Az-Zumar 39:3)
So the pagan Arabs believed in Allah as the Supreme Ruler of the universe, while praying to their lesser deities. Whereas Islam teaches that no one deserves our worship and prayers except Allah, Who is the Sovereign Creator and Cherisher of the universe.
The following verses of the Qur’an - among others - will make clear that Allah can never be a provincial god. They read what means:
*{ To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: “Be,” and it is.}* (Al-Baqarah 2:177)
*{For Allah is He Who gives [all] sustenance, Lord of Power, Steadfast [for ever].}* (Adh-Dhariyat 51:58)
*{And verily unto Us belong the end and the beginning.}* (Al-Layl 92:13)
*{To Allah do all matters return.}* (Aal `Imran 3:109)
A man called Dr. Robert Morey has brought out a book titled, The Moon-God Allah in the Archeology of the Middle East. Evidently, this malicious work is the source of the allegation you heard from your Christian friend. To know about the deceptive strategies employed by Dr. Morey, you may read: Reply To Dr. Robert Morey's Moon-God Myth & Other Deceptive Attacks On Islam - by Shabbir Ally.
As for the picture of the crescent moon, which some Muslims use as a symbol, this is due to the fact that the crescent marks the beginning of the Islamic months. Since the Muslim calendar is a lunar one - and not a solar one - some Muslims started using the crescent moon as a symbol on the flag, for instance. There is no doubt that the crescent moon has no significance other than this. It is not a “holy symbol”. This is because Islam does not believe in any “holy idols” or symbols to be worshipped!
The Qur’an says what means:
*{They ask you concerning the new moons. Say: They are but times appointed for [the benefit of] men, and [for] the pilgrimage … … …}* (Al-Baqarah 2:189)
As a matter of fact, you cannot see any religion or ideology objecting to idolatry so vehemently as Islam: The Qur'an tells the story of how Ibrahim, peace be upon him, demolished the idols made by his own father. God says in the Qur’an that in Ibraheem you have a model to follow. And it is Ibrahim again who is presented as “the Friend of God” in the Qur'an as in the Bible. This is because Ibrahim was ready to sacrifice his only son to God.
Our scholars say that it was after a long period of waiting that Ibrahim was gifted with a son in answer to his prayers. And this gift of a son was Isma`il or Ishmael, peace be upon him. Probably when Ibrahim was so much absorbed in loving his son, God commanded him to sacrifice his son to Him! Ibrahim, peace be upon him, was immediate in repenting and returning to God, so much so that God saved him from the task of sacrificing his son and gave him the title: “Friend of God!” Even through this example God in the Qur'an underscores the importance of devotion to Him and Him only.
This is Islam: Submission to God the One and Only Creator and Sustainer of the universe. But, Dr. Morley and his tribe spend a lot of energy to prove that Islam is idolatry! Please remember that one of the first things Muhammad, peace be upon him, did when he returned to Makkah, was to demolish all the idols in and around the Ka`bah.
May Allah guide us to the Truth and strengthen our faith in Him in these hard times!
Thank you again for your question and please keep in touch.
Salam.
Useful Links:
The Crescent: A Symbol, Not an Icon
More about the Moon
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