The Word “Mulla” Used for the Noble Prophet ﷺ

Question

On 16 February 1980 there was a solar eclipse. A man stood up in the mosque and began a speech about the solar eclipse, and in the course of it said: “A mulla’s run goes only as far as the mosque; and the greatest mulla is the Messenger of Allah; our great mulla performed the prayer [of eclipse], so we too should pray.” What needs to be ascertained is: is it correct to use the phrase “the great mulla, the Messenger of Allah” for the Prophet ﷺ or not?

Answer

“Mulla” (munla, an older spelling of the word) is a very great honorific word; it was coined for an eminent scholar and one who is followed. Thus this word is used for the senior scholars of Afghanistan, the Euphrates region, Bukhara and elsewhere, and it is found in books too — for instance, Mulla ‘Ali al-Qari and others.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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