Muslim

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: ➊ According to Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, Imam Shafi'i rahimahullah, Imam Ahmad rahimahullah, and the majority of the Salaf, one should turn the greeting of peace (salam) to both sides. According to Imam Malik rahimahullah, the greeting of peace should be given facing forward. Occasionally adopting this method is permissible, because a person exits the prayer with just one salam.

➋ According to Imam Malik rahimahullah, Imam Shafi'i rahimahullah, Imam Ahmad rahimahullah, and the majority of the Salaf, turning the salam to exit the prayer is obligatory (fard); without it, the prayer will not be valid. According to the Hanafis, it is necessary (wajib). If, after sitting for the duration of the tashahhud, the worshipper deliberately performs an act that invalidates the prayer, the prayer will be considered complete, but the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud as-sahw) will have to be performed. However, if at the end, without intention or purpose, an act that invalidates the prayer is committed, then according to Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, the prayer will be invalid. According to the two companions (the Sahibayn), it will be valid. However, Allamah Karakhi has refuted this opinion. For details, see: (Sharh Sahih Muslim by Allamah Saeedi: Vol. 2, pp. 178–179).

For this, a rule has been established without evidence: that obligation (wujub) is established by a solitary report (khabar wahid), not obligatoriness (fardiyyah).

The second evidence presented is the weak narration of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud radi Allahu anhu.

The third evidence is the teaching of prayer by Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu to the one who did not pray correctly, in which there is no mention of salam, even though only those matters in which he made a mistake are mentioned. Not all aspects of the prayer are mentioned.

1318. Commentary:

➊ The narrator of this hadith is Abdullah bin Ja'far al-Makhzumi, who is trustworthy. There is another Abdullah bin Ja'far, who is the respected father of the famous hadith scholar and critic Ali ibn al-Madini, but due to his weak memory, he is not considered reliable in the science of hadith. Since there was a risk of confusion, the Imam clarified this matter. May Allah reward him with goodness.

➋ The greeting of salam should be said to both sides. Numerous narrations indicate this. However, at the end of the prayer, saying salam to only one side is also permissible, because it is established from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) that he sometimes said salam to one side only. For details, see: [سلسلة الأحادیث الصحیحة : 628/1 ، حدیث : 316]. When saying salam once, one should face forward and say the salam, then turn the face slightly to the right. And Allah knows best.