Following this, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم made this duꜤāˈ, اَللّٰہُمَّ وَالِ مَنْ وَالَاہُ وَ عَادِمَنْ عَادَاہُ (O Allah! Love the one who loves him and show enmity to the one who shows enmity to him).^[1]

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

سُبْحٰنَ اللہ O devotees of the Prophet! In this Hadith, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم unequivocally stated that Sayyidunā Ali رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ is the protector of the Muslims. Mufti Aḥmad Yār Khān NaꜤīmī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states:

Here, وَلِی (i.e. مولیٰ) does not mean khalīfah, rather it means friend or helper. The meaning of this statement of our Prophet  صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is that “Whoever’s beloved and helper I am, Ali is also his friend, beloved and helper.”^[2]

We also learn from this that saying “یَا عَلِی مدد” (O Ali! Help me!) is completely permissible, because our Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is the helper of all the Muslims that will come until the Day of Judgement and is beloved to them. Therefore, Sayyidunā Ali رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ is also the helper of all the Muslims that will come until the Day of Judgement and is beloved to them.

Given that he is our helper, how can asking him for help be impermissible? Hence, when facing any difficulty, anxiety, grief, harm or calamity, call out یَا عَلِی مدد. Sayyidunā Ali رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ will indeed show his generosity and help to rectify your state of despair ان شآء اللہ.