Supplication (Salawat) Narrated by Abu Mas’ud Al-Ansari (RA)
According to a narration from the Companion, Abu Mas’ud al-Ansari (d. 40/660), related by Imam Malik, when the Companions inquired about how to offer salutations and blessings upon the Prophet, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to them:
THE SALAWAT NARRATED BY ABU MAS’UD AL-ANSARI (RA)
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى اٰلِهِ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى اٰلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وبارك عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى اٰلِهِ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى اٰلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، فِي الْعَالَمِينَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
O Allah! Send blessings upon Muhammad and his family, as You blessed Abraham’s family. And grant blessings upon Muhammad and his family, as You granted blessings upon Abraham’s family, among all the worlds. Indeed, You are worthy of praise and glory. As for how to send greetings, you already know.”
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) taught his Companions to greet with “As-salāmu ‘alayka ayyuhā an-nabiyyu wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuhu” in the Tashahhud prayer. According to Abu Mas’ud al-Ansari, who narrated this hadith, on that day, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) visited Sa’d ibn Ubadah, a prominent member of the Companions, at his home. Bashir ibn Sa’d, one of the companions present there,
“O Messenger of Allah! Allah has commanded us to send salutations and blessings upon you; how should we send salutations and blessings upon you?” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not immediately answer but remained silent. His silence was either because he awaited revelation due to not knowing the answer to this question, or because the matter was left to his consideration. However, his silence caused the Companions to worry, “Have we troubled the Messenger of Allah by asking this question? Is He not pleased with this question? We wish we had not asked it.” Then, he responded by saying, “Say thus!” (Related in Malik, Muwatta’, Kasr al-Salat fi’s-Safar 67; Muslim, Salat 65, no. 405.)