Salam

The shortest form of the salam that still fulfils the pillar of the prayer is to say (السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُم) ‘Assalaamu’alaikum’. (This is according to the Shafi'is, the Hanbalis and the Malikis.) However, the Malikis say that (سَلَامُ اللَّه) or (سَلَامِي) or (سَلَامُ عَلَيْكُم) is not valid. The Shafi'is allow the word (عَلَيْكُم) to be put first, so that the wording said is (عَلَيْكُم السَّلَامُ), although this is disliked. Saying (السَّلَامُ عَلَيْهِم) is not valid. However, it does not invalidate the prayer either, because it is a supplication for someone absent. If it is done deliberately while he knows that it is forbidden, his prayer is invalid. Saying (سَلَامُ عَلَيْكُم) is not valid. According to the Hanbalis, the valid wording to be said is (السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ). If one does not say (وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ), the prayer is not valid, except in the funeral prayer. This is based on the general meaning of the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). صَلُّوا كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي [translation not shown] (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, no. 631). And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the salam as explained in several hadiths. So if someone says anything other than the salam exemplified by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), even by reversing its wording, such as (عَلَيْكُم السَّلَامُ), it is not valid. And if it is done deliberately, the prayer is invalid, because he has altered the wording of the salam exemplified by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). According to the Shafi'is and the Malikis, the obligatory salam is a single salam, namely the first one. However, according to the Hanbalis, two salams are obligatory. (See: Hasyiyah Ad-Dasuqi 1/241, Mughnil Muhtaj Li As-Syirbiniy 1/177, Kassyaful Qina' Li Al-Bahutiy 1/361 and Al-Mausu'ah Al-Fiqhiyyah 27/72) As for the complete form of the salam, it is to say (السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ) (1) When Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) was asked about the prayer of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), among other things he demonstrated the Prophet's way of giving the salam: وَذَكَرَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ [translation not shown] (Narrated by An-Nasa'i, no. 1321, and graded sahih by Al-Albani) The evidence for it is the hadith of Alqamah ibn Wa'il from his father, who said: صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَكَانَ يُسَلِّمُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ: «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ»، وَعَنْ شِمَالِهِ: «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ» [translation not shown] (Narrated by Abu Dawud, no. 997)