Question # 473: Sir: Salamunalaykum. Why you didn’t mention wordings of Tashahuud by Abdallah ibn Masood in which “assalaamu `alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu”, is not mentioned and the version these wordings are mentioned in third person (‘on him instead of on you’). My understanding is that in Salaat we address Allah alone. Invoking “assalaamu `alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu” mean that the Prophet in sitting, standing or lying in front of the person who is offering the Salaat. Please reply following the Islamic Emaan (Emaan khalis) and not by following your elders. Wasslam.

bismi-llahi r-raḥmani r-raḥīm,

Assalamu ‘laikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

All praise and thanks are due to Allah (سبحانه و تعالى), and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم).

Dear questioner,

First of all, we implore Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) to help us serve His cause and render our work for His sake.

Shorter Answer: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “Pray as you have seen me praying”, so the more correct version is to recite tashahhud with “al-salaamu ‘alayka ayyuha’l-nabiyyu” (peace be upon you, O Prophet) because this is how it was taught by him (صلى الله عليه و سلم) to his companions (as it appears in Bukhari and Muslim) and he did not say that when I die, then say “al-salaamu ‘ala al-nabi” (peace be upon the Prophet). With regard to the report narrated from Ibn Mas’ood (رضي الله عنه), this was his ijtihad, and it does not contradict the proven ahadith. He differed from that of one who was more knowledgeable than him, namely ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه), for he addressed the people and said in the tashahhud: “al-salaamu ‘alayka ayyhu’l-nabiyyu”. (Narrated by Maalik in al-Muwatta’)

Moreover, it is a du’aa’ (supplication) in which we are praying to Allah to send peace upon the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم), and it is not addressed to him, else it would invalidate our salah. It is worth pondering that the companions (رضي الله عنهم) were more knowledgeable and more obedient to Allah and to His Messenger than the following generations; if this part of the tashahhud was addressed directly to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم), they would have spoken these words out loud so that he (صلى الله عليه و سلم) could hear it and no doubt, he (صلى الله عليه و سلم) would have returned their greetings. But in fact, even when the companions (رضي الله عنهم) would travel and be in a place other than his (i.e., not be with the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم)), they would still recite the same in the tashahhud and he would not hear them. Similarly, as for us, we are not only in a land other than his but also in a time other than his.

Long Answer: The Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) encouraged us to learn the rulings on prayer and how he (صلى الله عليه و سلم) prayed so that we would follow his example in that. He said: “Pray as you have seen me praying.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari)

The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked [a similar question, and] they replied: “The version of the tashahhud that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) used to recite in his prayer and that he commanded his companions to recite is that which was narrated by the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhari and Muslim) in their Saheehayn from ‘Abd-Allah ibn Mas’ood (رضي الله عنه) who said: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) taught me the tashahhud with my hand between his hands, just as he taught me a soorah from the Qur’an: “Al-tahiyyaatu Lillaahi wa’l-salawaatu wa’l-tayyibaat, al-salaamu ‘alayka ayyuha’l-nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allahi wa barakaatuhu, al-salaamu ‘alayna wa ‘ala ‘ibaad-illaah il-saaliheen, ash-hadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluh… (All compliments, prayers and good words are for Allah, peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings, peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger). This is the more correct version because the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) 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-Allah ibn Mas’ood (رضي الله عنه) said: Before the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) 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-Allahi wa barakaatuhu (peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings,) because this is what is proven in the ahadith. With regard to the report narrated from Ibn Mas’ood (رضي الله عنه) – if it is a saheeh (sound) narration from him – this is the ijtihad of the one who did that and it does not contradict the proven ahadith. If the ruling after the death of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) were different than the ruling when he was still alive, he would have told us that. (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta’)

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah 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 (صلى الله عليه و سلم) is in a state of peace, or are you asking Allah to grant him peace?

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

Is this addressed to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) 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 Sahabah would have spoken these words out loud so that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) 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 (صلى الله عليه و سلم) 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 Sahabah 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-Bukhari from ‘Abd-Allah ibn Mas’ood, which says that after the Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) passed away, they used to say “al-salaamu ‘ala al-nabi wa rahmat-Allahi wa barakaatuhu (peace be upon the Prophet and the mercy and blessings of Allah)” – this was the ijtihad of Ibn Mas’ood (رضي الله عنه), which differed from that of one who was more knowledgeable than him, namely ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه), for he addressed the people from the minbar of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and said in the tashahhud: “al-salaamu ‘alayka ayyhu’l-nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allah (peace be upon you, O Prophet and the mercy of Allah),” as was narrated by Maalik in al-Muwatta’ with the soundest of isnads. ‘Umar said this in the presence of the Sahabah and they approved of it.

Moreover, the Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) 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’an. And he knew that he was going to die because Allah says in the Qur’an: “Verily, you (O Muhammad) will die, and verily, they (too) will die” (Soorah 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’an, with this wording. Hence we should not rely on the ijtihad of Ibn Mas’ood, rather we should say, “al-salaamu ‘alayka ayyhu’l-nabiyyu (peace be upon you, O Prophet)”. (Al-Sharh al-Mumti’)

(The above reply is based on various answers provided by Islamqa.info on similar topics)

Allahu A’lam (Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) knows best) and all Perfections belong to Allah, and all mistakes belong to me alone. May Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) forgive me, Ameen.

Wassalaam