The answer to this question would be in 3 parts.
1)Can the dead hear? - Let us analyze this from Quran and ahadith of Holy prophet (s.a.w.s)
Quran mentions the Prophet Salih’s speech to the dead. This speech was made after his nation had been destroyed.
[7:77] Then they ham-strung the she camel, and insolently defied the order of their Lord, saying: “O Salih! bring about thy threats, if thou art a messenger (of Allah)!”
[ 7:78] So the earthquake took them unawares, and they lay prostrate in their homes in the morning!
[ 7:79] So Salih left them, saying: “O my people! I did indeed convey to you the message for which I was sent by my Lord: I gave you good counsel, but ye love not good counsellors!”
Please note that Quran testifies that Salih addressed to his nation who had already been perished by Allah. This shows clearly that souls of the dead can Hear, otherwise what is the meaning of Salih’s address to them?. Or do the Salafies think that Salih did a Useless and Polytheistic Act (as according to Ibne Abdul Wahab one become Mushrik if one think that they can hear)? And why Allah also mentioned this useless and polytheistic Act in Quran?
Secondly, why do Salafies believe that when Salih says to his dead nation “Ya Qaumi”(O my people) then it is ok. But when we say “Ya Rasool Allah” or "Ya Ali", then it is Shirk?. Now I will quote a hadith from Sahih al Bukhari that clarifies whether dead can hear or not.
Volume 2, Book 23, Number 452 :
Narrated by Ibn 'Umar
The Prophet looked at the people of the well (the well in which the bodies of the pagans killed in the Battle of Badr were thrown) and said, "Have you found true what your Lord promised you?" Somebody said to him, "You are addressing dead people." He replied, "You do not hear better than they but they cannot reply."
So from this Ahadith and above verses from Quran it is clear that dead can hear and they can hear better than living person as mentioned by Holy prophet (s.a.w.s) in the last part of above ahadith.
(Part 2)-Can dead help?I would quote for you a part of ahadith from sahih bukhari which clarifies whether or not dead can help.
Volume 1, Book 8, Number 345 : Narrated by Abu Dhar- ....... The Prophet said, "Then Allah enjoined fifty prayers on my followers when I returned with this order of Allah, I passed by Moses who asked me, 'What has Allah enjoined on your followers?' I replied, 'He has enjoined fifty prayers on them.' Moses said, 'Go back to your Lord (and appeal for reduction) for your followers will not be able to bear it.' (So I went back to Allah and requested for reduction) and He reduced it to half. When I passed by Moses again and informed him about it, he said, 'Go back to your Lord as your followers will not be able to bear it.' So I returned to Allah and requested for further reduction and half of it was reduced. I again passed by Moses and he said to me: 'Return to your Lord, for your followers will not be able to bear it. So I returned to Allah and He said, 'These are five prayers and they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for My Word does not change.' I returned to Moses and he told me to go back once again. I replied, 'Now I feel shy of asking my Lord again......
Hazrat Musa a.s died long before meraj even then he talked to holy prophet s.a.w.s during meraj and helped him to reduce the no prayers, so a person who believes that dead can’t help then he or she should pray 50 prayers (namaz) as prophet Muhammad s.a.w.s was helped by Prophet musa a.s to reduce the no of prayers to 5 and prophet musa died long before meraj. From this ahadith it is also clear that dead can hear as well as they can help us.
( Part 3)- Is holy prophet(s.a.w.s) and Ahlulbayt (a.s) dead?
Some Muslims are of the opinion that seeking help from dead is shirk and they say calling Holy prophet (s.a.w.s) and Imams(a.s) is shirk. They argue that a person should not ask any person for help. But if a person is faced with a problem in life, then would this person not logically and naturally call upon a person nearby for help? If a person was about to drown and he called out for help, then would his seeking of help from one other than Allah make him a mushrik (associating one with Allah)? By the same reasoning, calling upon the Holy Prophet or the imams is not shirk. The argument that they cannot be called upon because they are dead is also invalid as I have mentioned in above 2 parts that dead can listen and help us but now the question is whether Holy prophet(s.a.w.s) and Imam(a.s) are dead let us answer this from Holy Quran , Holy Quran mentions
1) “Think not of those who are killed in the way of Allah as dead. Nay,they are alive with their Lord, and they have provision.”(Surah Aale Imran verse 169)
2)“And say not of those who are killed in the way of Allah,‘They are dead.’ Nay, they are living, but you perceive it
not.”(Surah Baqarah verse154)
If an ordinary Muslim was martyred (for the cause of Allah) is considered to be alive, then how could the Holy Prophet and his family, who were not only martyrs but whose rank also surpassed that of all other human beings, be considered dead? Calling upon the Holy Prophet and his family does not negate the fact that Allah is the source of help and rescue in this universe. However, because these people are closest to Him, and because they enjoy a special status with Him, calling upon them means calling upon Allah for the sake of those whom He loves.
I have tried my best to give all of u logical explanation with proofs from Holy Quran and Ahadith about why we Shias say Ya Ali madad or Ya Husain madad and I hope your doubt is cleared, even then If you have doubt regarding this topic plzz visit the below given link.
http://en.shiapen.com/comprehensive/can-dead-hear/historical-background.html
http://www.al-islam.org/mot/tawassul.htm
1)Can the dead hear? - Let us analyze this from Quran and ahadith of Holy prophet (s.a.w.s)
Quran mentions the Prophet Salih’s speech to the dead. This speech was made after his nation had been destroyed.
[7:77] Then they ham-strung the she camel, and insolently defied the order of their Lord, saying: “O Salih! bring about thy threats, if thou art a messenger (of Allah)!”
[ 7:78] So the earthquake took them unawares, and they lay prostrate in their homes in the morning!
[ 7:79] So Salih left them, saying: “O my people! I did indeed convey to you the message for which I was sent by my Lord: I gave you good counsel, but ye love not good counsellors!”
Please note that Quran testifies that Salih addressed to his nation who had already been perished by Allah. This shows clearly that souls of the dead can Hear, otherwise what is the meaning of Salih’s address to them?. Or do the Salafies think that Salih did a Useless and Polytheistic Act (as according to Ibne Abdul Wahab one become Mushrik if one think that they can hear)? And why Allah also mentioned this useless and polytheistic Act in Quran?
Secondly, why do Salafies believe that when Salih says to his dead nation “Ya Qaumi”(O my people) then it is ok. But when we say “Ya Rasool Allah” or "Ya Ali", then it is Shirk?. Now I will quote a hadith from Sahih al Bukhari that clarifies whether dead can hear or not.
Volume 2, Book 23, Number 452 :
Narrated by Ibn 'Umar
The Prophet looked at the people of the well (the well in which the bodies of the pagans killed in the Battle of Badr were thrown) and said, "Have you found true what your Lord promised you?" Somebody said to him, "You are addressing dead people." He replied, "You do not hear better than they but they cannot reply."
So from this Ahadith and above verses from Quran it is clear that dead can hear and they can hear better than living person as mentioned by Holy prophet (s.a.w.s) in the last part of above ahadith.
(Part 2)-Can dead help?I would quote for you a part of ahadith from sahih bukhari which clarifies whether or not dead can help.
Volume 1, Book 8, Number 345 : Narrated by Abu Dhar- ....... The Prophet said, "Then Allah enjoined fifty prayers on my followers when I returned with this order of Allah, I passed by Moses who asked me, 'What has Allah enjoined on your followers?' I replied, 'He has enjoined fifty prayers on them.' Moses said, 'Go back to your Lord (and appeal for reduction) for your followers will not be able to bear it.' (So I went back to Allah and requested for reduction) and He reduced it to half. When I passed by Moses again and informed him about it, he said, 'Go back to your Lord as your followers will not be able to bear it.' So I returned to Allah and requested for further reduction and half of it was reduced. I again passed by Moses and he said to me: 'Return to your Lord, for your followers will not be able to bear it. So I returned to Allah and He said, 'These are five prayers and they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for My Word does not change.' I returned to Moses and he told me to go back once again. I replied, 'Now I feel shy of asking my Lord again......
Hazrat Musa a.s died long before meraj even then he talked to holy prophet s.a.w.s during meraj and helped him to reduce the no prayers, so a person who believes that dead can’t help then he or she should pray 50 prayers (namaz) as prophet Muhammad s.a.w.s was helped by Prophet musa a.s to reduce the no of prayers to 5 and prophet musa died long before meraj. From this ahadith it is also clear that dead can hear as well as they can help us.
( Part 3)- Is holy prophet(s.a.w.s) and Ahlulbayt (a.s) dead?
Some Muslims are of the opinion that seeking help from dead is shirk and they say calling Holy prophet (s.a.w.s) and Imams(a.s) is shirk. They argue that a person should not ask any person for help. But if a person is faced with a problem in life, then would this person not logically and naturally call upon a person nearby for help? If a person was about to drown and he called out for help, then would his seeking of help from one other than Allah make him a mushrik (associating one with Allah)? By the same reasoning, calling upon the Holy Prophet or the imams is not shirk. The argument that they cannot be called upon because they are dead is also invalid as I have mentioned in above 2 parts that dead can listen and help us but now the question is whether Holy prophet(s.a.w.s) and Imam(a.s) are dead let us answer this from Holy Quran , Holy Quran mentions
1) “Think not of those who are killed in the way of Allah as dead. Nay,they are alive with their Lord, and they have provision.”(Surah Aale Imran verse 169)
2)“And say not of those who are killed in the way of Allah,‘They are dead.’ Nay, they are living, but you perceive it
not.”(Surah Baqarah verse154)
If an ordinary Muslim was martyred (for the cause of Allah) is considered to be alive, then how could the Holy Prophet and his family, who were not only martyrs but whose rank also surpassed that of all other human beings, be considered dead? Calling upon the Holy Prophet and his family does not negate the fact that Allah is the source of help and rescue in this universe. However, because these people are closest to Him, and because they enjoy a special status with Him, calling upon them means calling upon Allah for the sake of those whom He loves.
I have tried my best to give all of u logical explanation with proofs from Holy Quran and Ahadith about why we Shias say Ya Ali madad or Ya Husain madad and I hope your doubt is cleared, even then If you have doubt regarding this topic plzz visit the below given link.
http://en.shiapen.com/comprehensive/can-dead-hear/historical-background.html
http://www.al-islam.org/mot/tawassul.htm
