Tirmidhi

1:
From this, the legitimacy of turning the head to both the right and the left while saying salam is established. In the narration of Abu Dawud, there is the addition: ((حَتَّى يُرَى بَيَاضُ خَدِّهِ)) — "until the whiteness of his cheek could be seen."

Hadith Footnote:
Explanation:
It is understood from this that to make any permissible (mubah) or recommended (mustahabb) act obligatory (wajib) or binding upon oneself is a deception from Shaytan. Ibn Munir said: If someone declares a recommended (mustahabb) act as obligatory, it becomes disliked (makruh). When making a permissible (mubah) act obligatory is considered a share of Shaytan, then if someone makes a disliked (makruh) or innovated (bid‘ah) act obligatory, and upon its omission, torments the servants of Allah or finds fault with them, then one should understand what kind of dominance Shaytan has over such a person.

In our times, this calamity has become widespread.
Not only the common people, but even the elite have made baseless acts obligatory (Maulana Waheed al-Zaman).
Teejah, Fatiha, Chehlum, etc., are all acts of this very kind.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
If the Shariah has provided latitude regarding a matter from two perspectives, then it is not correct to remain rigidly fixed or dependent on just one of them. It is also understood from this that at times, it is permissible to draw attention to the abandonment of a recommended (mustahabb) act.

Ibn Munir has stated that a recommended (mustahabb) act enters the domain of disliked (makruh) when it is elevated above its proper status, because performing actions on the right side is recommended (mustahabb) in all matters. However, when Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (radi Allahu anhu) sensed that people might consider it obligatory upon themselves, he indicated towards its being disliked (makruh).

When considering a permissible (mubah) act as obligatory is regarded as a share of Shaytan, then if someone considers an unlawful (haram) or innovated (bid‘ah) act as obligatory, and reproaches others for not doing it, then Shaytan completely dominates such a person.

(Fath al-Bari: 2/437)

In our era, this epidemic is very widespread, that innovations (bid‘at) and customs, such as: reciting the Qur’an for the deceased (Qul Khwani), Fatiha, Chehlum (fortieth-day ceremony), and anniversary commemorations, etc., have been made obligatory upon themselves by the general public and the elite alike, and those who do not perform them are subjected to cursing and reproach.

And Allah is the One whose help is sought.

(2)
According to what Anas (radi Allahu anhu) said, after completing the prayer, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would most often turn to his right side, whereas Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (radi Allahu anhu) stated that he saw the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) most often turn to his left side.

There appears to be a contradiction between the statements of these two Companions.

There are two ways to reconcile this:

• The narration of Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (radi Allahu anhu) can be understood as referring to praying in the mosque, because the houses of the noble wives (azwaj mutahharat, radi Allahu anhunna) of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) were on the left side of the mosque, whereas the statement of Anas (radi Allahu anhu) can be understood as referring to other situations, such as while traveling, etc.

• If there was a need to turn during the prayer, then most often he would turn to the left side, as Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (radi Allahu anhu) said. If he needed to face the congregation after the prayer, then he would turn to the right side towards them, as Anas (radi Allahu anhu) said.

On this basis, turning after prayer was not restricted to any specific direction.

(Fath al-Bari: 2/437)

And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: That which the Shari‘ah has not declared obligatory or mandatory, to declare it obligatory from oneself is to give a share to Shaytan from oneself. Therefore, from this hadith, according to Allamah Saeedi, the following principle is derived: whatever ruling the Shari‘ah has given regarding an act of worship, one should not exceed it. Whoever exceeds this ruling is, in fact, changing the Shari‘ah of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and creating a new Shari‘ah. In our view, there is no greater misguidance than this. (Sharh Sahih Muslim, vol. 2, p. 418)

But now the question arises: when it is not established from the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) to recite the Noble Qur’an or give charity on the third, tenth, or fortieth day for conveying reward (isal al-thawab) to deceased Muslims, then is it not legislating in the religion to declare this act as recommended (mustahabb)? The situation is such that those who do not perform the third, seventh, or tenth day, etc., are reproached, and this is a sign of making it obligatory. Allamah Saeedi writes:

The difference between obligatory (wajib) and recommended (mustahabb) is that the one who abandons an obligatory act is reproached and questioned as to why he did not do it, whereas the one who abandons a recommended act is neither reproached nor questioned for not doing it. If someone reproaches another for not performing a recommended act, then in other words, he is making that recommended act obligatory.

(al-‘iyadhu billah)
(Sharh Muslim al-Rawah: 2/418)

First, the third, seventh, etc., were fixed from oneself, even though this is not established from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), and then those who do not perform these acts are subjected to criticism and reproach. So, is this not declaring it obligatory and mandatory, which is a misguidance and an evil innovation (bid‘ah sayyi’ah)?

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
اَنّٰي عَلَّمَهَا:
From where did he acquire this Sunnah?
That is, the ruler expressed astonishment at his knowledge of the Sunnah of greeting.

1042. Commentary:
➊ The testimony of Umm ‘Ammarah radi Allahu anha is such that, after the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would finish the post-prayer remembrances and so on, it was his practice to return to his homes by turning to the left side. Thus, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would generally turn his face to the left side.

➋ According to Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud radi Allahu anhu, to insist so much on one particular manner of a Sunnah that it leads to neglecting or denying another established way is a very reprehensible act in the religion; it is as if one is giving a share to Shaytan.

1326. Commentary: From the study of the narrations, four methods of saying the salam (salutation) are found; acting upon any one of them is correct.

➊ Saying «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ» to both the right and left sides, and this method is more well-known and commonly practiced because in most narrations this method is reported.

➋ Saying «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وبركاتُه» to both the right and left sides.

➌ Saying «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ» to the right side and «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ» to the left side.

➍ Saying «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ» only while facing forward, with the face slightly inclined to the right. Some scholars hold the view of saying «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وبركاتُه» to the right side and «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ» to the left side, but their position is questionable because, regarding the narration of Sunan Abi Dawud from which the addition of only «وبرکاتہ» to the right side is established, the verifying scholars state that in the authentic and reliable manuscripts of Sunan Abi Dawud, the addition of «وبركاتُه» to both sides is transmitted. Therefore, one should say «وبركاتُه» to both the right and left sides. And Allah knows best. For further details, see: [أصل صفة صلاة النبي ، للألباني ، ص : 1036-1023 ، وذخیرة العقبیٰ شرح سنن النسائي : 306-296/15]

Benefits and Issues:

➊ The noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma'in) exercised such caution regarding innovation (bid‘ah) that they considered it necessary to follow the Sunnah exactly, even in matters that may appear minor.

➋ It is not correct to adopt something non-obligatory (ghayr wajib) or recommended (mustahabb) as if it were obligatory (wajib). In such matters, one should occasionally act in a different manner as well.

➌ Shaytan misguides a person through both excess and deficiency. Elevating a voluntary act (nafl) to the status of an obligation (fard) is also a form of exaggeration (ghuluw). For this reason, Ibn Mas‘ud (radi Allahu ta‘ala anhu) has described it as the portion of Shaytan.

Benefits and Issues:

➊
The method of concluding the prayer is by saying the salam (salutation of peace), as has been mentioned in Hadith 275 and 276.

➋
There are various ways of saying the salam that have been reported. For example:

(a)
"As-salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah."
"As-salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah." (As appears in Hadith 916.)

(b)
"As-salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh."
"As-salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh." (Bulugh al-Maram, by Ibn Hajar, The Book of Prayer, Chapter: The Description of Prayer, Hadith: 253)

(c)
It is also permissible to conclude the prayer with only one salam.
When saying the single salam, one should turn the face slightly to the right. (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, The Book of Prayer, Chapter: 106, Hadith: 296)