Prayer • Prophet Muhammad

Salam from The Prophet ﷺ

by Jinan Yousef
July 14, 2010
4 min read

The Salah Series

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV |  Part XV | Part XVI | Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX | Part XXI | Part XXII | Part XXIII | Part XXIV | Part XXV | Part XXVI | Part XXVII | Part XXVIII

If we are performing a prayer that has 2 rak’aat (units of prayer), such as fajr (the dawn prayer), then we are approaching the end of the prayer, the end of our brief meeting with Allah. After the second prostration in the second rak’ah, the Prophet ﷺ would sit, place his right palm on his right thigh (in one narration: his knee), and then place his left palm on his left thigh (in one narration: his knee, spreading it upon it). (Muslim).

There is some difference of opinion between scholars as to whether one should move their finger while saying the tashahhud (the kneeling portion of the prayer after prostrations), so I recommend following your madhhab (school of thought) or a trusted scholar.

Tashahhud

The Prophet ﷺ would commence by saying:tashahhud

التحياتُ لله ، والصلوات والطيبات

“All compliments [at-tahiyyaat], prayers [as-salawaat] and good things [at-tayyibaat] are due to Allah…” (Bukhari)

When we say this, we have to apply the secret key that we spoke of before, i.e., that of addressing Allah and talking to Him.

So let’s delve deeper into the meanings of the words we say:

at-tahiyyaat: we assert that all words which imply peace, sovereignty, and eternity are due to Allah. Ibn ‘Uthaymeen has said that this is a term of glorification and respect.

as-salawaat: we assert that all supplications and prayers are due to God.

at-tayyibaat: we assert that all good deeds that any of creation does is for Allah.

A Different Place

After we say the above, our words are transported somewhere else, thousands and thousands of kilometers away depending on where you are. Where is this place? Watch the following video:

It is the place where the most noble of creation lays, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ , in the blessed city of Madinah. The following words, which we say in every prayer, will be delivered to him:

السلام عليك أيها النبي ورحمة الله وبركاته

“… Peace be on you, O Prophet, and also the mercy of Allah and His blessings.”

How do we know this? The Prophet ﷺ told us when he said, “No one sends me salam (salutation of peace) except Allah has returned my soul to me so that I can return his salam.” (Abu Dawud)

Now I want you to look at the closest door to you, and imagine. Imagine that the beloved Prophet ﷺ walked through that door at this moment. Imagine him walking in with his `imamah (turban), his long white thoub (ankle-length garment), his bright face and dark beard, and his beautiful smile. You now have the opportunity to say salaam to him; so how would you say it?

Think of the companions radi Allahu `anhum (may Allah be pleased with them), as they waited outside Madinah for the Prophet ﷺ to arrive. They waited for several days, each day faithfully coming to the same place, waiting. When they finally saw him, think about the joy that overtook them, the way they sang the song we still teach our children today (“tala` al-badru `alayna…”), each companion scrambling to say salaam to the Prophet ﷺ. How we wish we could have been there!

What emotions would be running through you? We may not have been there, but at least, here and now, we have been told that our salaams are taken to him and that he responds. Let’s not make light of this opportunity; rather let us say these words with a present heart and overflowing love as we would if he were standing in front of us.

Peace Be Upon Us and The Righteous

We then say:

السلام علينا وعلى عباد الله الصالحين

“Peace be on us, and on the righteous slaves of Allah.”

The Prophet ﷺ said that when one says this, “it includes every righteous slave in the heaven and the earth.” Finally, he would say:

أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله ، وأشهد ان محمدا عبده ورسوله

“I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and messenger.”

If he was in the second rak’ah of maghrib (the sunset prayer) or `isha‘ (the evening prayer), he would then stand up.

May Allah enable us to taste the significance of every single action of prayer. Ameen.

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV |  Part XV | Part XVI|Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX | Part XXI | Part XXII | Part XXIII | Part XXIV | Part XXV | Part XXVI | Part XXVII

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About the author

Jinan Yousef

Jinan's main interests within the field of Islamic Studies are the Names of Allah, the life and character of the Prophet ﷺ, tazkiya and Muslim personalities.

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31 Comments

  • Ameen! What a beautiful aspect of prayer you have described Sr. Jinan. I wasn’t aware that those words are delivered to our Beloved Prophet; I never fail to learn something new or feel that I can enhance my salah after these articles, so I’m truly truly grateful for this series.

    As always, Jazak’Allahu Khairan and thanks for the reply to my comment on the previous part of the series. Looking forward to the remaining parts, though I will also be sad to see the end of the series at the same time!

    Ma’salaam!

    Br. Ahmed

    Reply

    • I couldn’t agree more on your statement of never fail to learn something new or developing a new beautiful feeling to be enhanced in prayer from this article. 🙁

      I never thought that my salam was sent to someone so dear to all of us.. SubhanAllaah..

      JazakAllahu Khayran..

      Reply

  • Salam Sister Jinan

    Jazak Allah Khairan for all your articles, my family and I are benefiting from these. I would like to add this. I am NOT a salafi, but I have been asked about the item addressed in the topic below by reverts, so I would like to include this clarification here.Praise be to Allaah.

    ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked:

    It was narrated that Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught me the tashahhud with my hand between his hands, just as he taught me a soorah from the Qur’aan: “Al-tahiyyaatu Lillaahi wa’l-salawaatu wa’l-tayyibaat al-salaamu ‘alayka ayyuha’l-nabiyyu… (All compliments, prayers and good words are for Allaah, peace be upon you, O Prophet…).” (That was) when he was still among us. When he passed away, we started to say, “al-salaam ‘ala al-nabi (peace be upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)).”

    Many people say the latter version and teach others to do likewise.

    They replied:
    The version of the tashahhud that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite in his prayer and that he commanded his companions to recite is that which was narrated by the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhaari and Muslim) in their Saheehs from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught me the tashahhud with my hand between his hands, just as he taught me a soorah from the Qur’aan: “Al-tahiyyaatu Lillaahi wa’l-salawaatu wa’l-tayyibaat, al-salaamu ‘alayka ayyuha’l-nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu, al-salaamu ‘alayna wa ‘ala ‘ibaad-illaah il-saaliheen, ash-hadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluh… (All compliments, prayers and good words are for Allaah, peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allaah and His blessings, peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allaah. I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger). This is the more correct version, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught it to his companions and he did not say, When I die then say al-salaamu ‘ala al-nabi (peace be upon the Prophet).

    They were also asked:
    In the tashahhud should we say “al-salaamu ‘alayka ayyhu’l-nabiyyu (peace be upon you, O Prophet)” or “al-salaamu ‘ala al-nabi (peace be upon the Prophet)” – because ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: Before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died we used to say “al-salaamu ‘alayka ayyhu’l-nabiyyu (peace be upon you, O Prophet)” but after he died we said “al-salaamu ‘ala al-nabi (peace be upon the Prophet)”?

    They replied:
    The correct view is that in the tashahhud the worshipper should say: “al-salaamu ‘alayka ayyuha’l-nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu (peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allaah and His blessings,), because this is what is proven in the ahaadeeth. With regard to the report narrated from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) – if it is a saheeh (sound) narration from him – this is the ijtihaad of the one who did that and it does not contradict the proven ahaadeeth. If the ruling after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) were different than the ruling when he was still alive, he would have told us that.

    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) has explained this issue very clearly, and has refuted the specious argument of those who claim that the prescribed version is in the nature of calling upon one who is absent. He said:

    Are the words “al-salaamu ‘alayka (peace be upon you)” a statement or a supplication? I.e., are you stating that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is in a state of peace or are you asking Allaah to grant him peace?

    The answer is that it is a du’aa’ (supplication) in which you are praying to Allaah to send peace upon him. This is a statement which is serving as a supplication.

    Is this addressed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as people address one another?

    The answer is No. If that were the case, it would invalidate the prayer, because this prayer should not contain anything of human speech. If that were the case, the Sahaabah would have spoken these words out loud so that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) could hear them, and he would have returned the greeting to them as he used to do when they met him. But as Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] said in his book Iqtida’ al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem: Because you are thinking of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is so strong when you send salaams upon him, it is as if he is there in front of you and you are addressing him.

    Hence the Sahaabah used to say “al-salaamu ‘alayka (peace be upon you)”, but he did not hear them, and they would say, “al-salaamu ‘alayka (peace be upon you)” when they were in another land. And we say “al-salaamu ‘alayka (peace be upon you)” when we are in a land other than his, and in a time other than his.

    With regard to the report narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood, which says that after the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed away they used to say “al-salaamu ‘ala al-nabi wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu (peace be upon the Prophet and the mercy and blessings of Allaah)” – this was the ijtihaad of Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him), which differed from that of one who was more knowledgeable than him, namely ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, for he addressed the people from the minbar of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said in the tashahhud: “al-salaamu ‘alayka ayyhu’l-nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allaah (peace be upon you, O Prophet and the mercy of Allaah)”, as was narrated by Maalik in al-Muwatta’ with the soundest of isnaads. ‘Umar said this in the presence of the Sahaabah and they approved of it.

    Moreover the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught it to his ummah, and he even taught it to Ibn Mas’ood, holding his hand between his own, so that he would remember this wording. He used to teach it to them as he used to teach them a soorah from the Qur’aan. And he knew that he was going to die, because Allaah said to him (interpretation of the meaning):

    “Verily, you (O Muhammad) will die, and verily, they (too) will die”
    [al-Zumar 39:30]

    But he did not say: after I die, say “al-salaamu ‘ala al-nabi (peace be upon the Prophet)”, rather he taught them the tashahhud as he used to teach them a soorah of the Qur’aan, with this wording. Hence we should not rely on the ijtihaad of Ibn Mas’ood, rather we should say, “al-salaamu ‘alayka ayyhu’l-nabiyyu (peace be upon you, O Prophet)”.

    Reply

  • Salam Sister Jihan,

    Once again, jazak Allah for a great article. I have personally heard from trustworthy scholars that the Tashahhud is the conversation of Allah subhana taala and Rasool-Allah(saw) when he(saw) went on Miraj. If that is the case, then should we picture in our minds the wonderful scene of this meeting, and what is said between Allah SWT and Rasool-Allah (SAW) as we recite this?

    Reply

    • Wa alaikm isaam w rahmat Allah

      I am not sure as I have not heard that. However, if scholars have said that then that is also another dimension we can add to the tashahhud inshAllah.

      Jinan

      Reply

  • If we are performing a prayer that has 2 rak’aat (units of
    prayer), such as fajr (the dawn prayer), then we are
    approaching the end of the prayer, the end of our brief meeting with
    …Allah. After the second prostration in the second rak’ah, the
    Prophet ﷺ would sit, place his right palm on his right thigh (in one
    narration: his knee), and then place his left palm on his left thigh (in
    one narration: his knee, spreading it upon it). (Muslim).
    There is some difference of opinion between scholars as to whether
    one should move their finger while saying the tashahhud (the
    kneeling portion of the prayer after prostrations), so I recommend
    following your madhhab (school of thought) or a trusted
    scholar.

    COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO ME IN A BIT MORE DETAIL… TASHAHHUD IS…. PLUS IS THIS WHILST READING ANY SALAT ..

    Reply

  • […] | Part XIX | Part XX | Part XXI | Part XXII | Part XXIII | Part XXIV | Part XXV | Part XXVI | Part XXVII | Part XXVIII Surat al-Fatiha is the surah (chapter) we recite in every rak`ah (unit) of every […]

    Reply

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