This excerpt is taken from the book of Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, Al-Jawab al-Bahir fi Zuwar al-Maqabir, translated by Sheikh Ataullah Saqib.
Different Types of Salutation and Peace
The greeting (salam) that you cannot hear, in return, the Merciful Lord sends mercy upon you ten times, just as salam is said when entering and leaving the mosque during prayer. This is a salam whose command is at all times and in all places. This distant salam is superior to the salam of someone near. When greeting someone near, the believers, whether alive or deceased, are equal. However, the absolute and general salam is specifically commanded for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Just as the command of sending blessings (Durood Sharif) is specific to his person, although there is disagreement about sending blessings and salutations on non-prophets, especially regarding Durood. Some scholars have restricted both Durood and salam to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. This is the school of Abu Muhammad al-Juwayni.
Regarding this, the majority of scholars say that salam is not exclusive to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. There is a difference of opinion about salawat (prayers of blessings). Because Allah Almighty has specifically mentioned salawat and salam:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا ﴿٥٦﴾
"Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace."
Reference: (33-Al-Ahzab:56)
In this noble verse, both information and command are present. But regarding the general believers, it is only information, such as:
هُوَ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي عَلَيْكُمْ وَمَلَائِكَتُهُ
"He it is Who sends down tranquility upon you and His angels [ask Him to do so] that He may bring you out from darknesses into the light."
Reference: (33-Al-Ahzab:43)
For this reason, preachers say that Allah Almighty has given the command which He Himself initiated first and which He praised the angels for. While saying salawat and salam on the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Allah addressed only the believers with "O you who have believed," and when mentioning His salawat (mercy) on the believers, He began with Himself and then mentioned the angels, but after that, He did not address the believers with "O you who have believed." In a hadith it is mentioned:
إن الله وملئكته يصلون على معلم الناس الخير
"Allah sends mercy and His angels ask for mercy for the person who teaches people goodness."
Reference: (Sunan Tirmidhi, Book of Knowledge: Chapter on the virtue of jurisprudence over worship, Hadith: 3785)
All Muslims agree that before praying for themselves in prayer or outside of prayer, one should send Durood and salam upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and then make supplication.
There is a difference of opinion about sending Durood and salam upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in obligatory prayers.
● According to Imam Shafi'i, it is wajib (obligatory).
● According to Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, and one narration of Imam Ahmad, it is not wajib.
If it is wajib, the question arises whether it is a pillar (rukn) of the prayer or not? And whether omitting it invalidates the prayer or not?
Two narrations have been transmitted in response to this.
The more correct view is that sending Durood Sharif along with supplication is wajib. We should begin the supplication with Durood upon him, and in prayer, the command to send salam upon him is in the Tashahhud, which according to the famous opinion of Imam Ahmad and Imam Shafi'i is a pillar of prayer. Omitting it intentionally or unintentionally invalidates the prayer, while according to Imam Malik and Imam Abu Hanifa, omitting it in the final Tashahhud invalidates the prayer.
According to Imam Ahmad (famous opinion) and Imam Malik, if it is omitted intentionally in the first Tashahhud, the prayer is invalid, but if omitted unintentionally, prostration of forgetfulness (Sujood al-Sahw) is necessary.
Imam Ahmad calls it wajib, and the followers of Malik call it wajib sunnah. Whoever omits it intentionally, there is no disagreement that he must repeat the prayer, and whoever omits it unintentionally must perform Sujood al-Sahw. According to Imam Malik, Imam Ahmad, and Imam Abu Hanifa, all the actions within the prayer are of three types.
According to Imam Abu Hanifa, if a person omits an action intentionally or unintentionally, he is sinful but repeating the prayer is not necessary.
According to Imam Shafi'i, what is wajib is a pillar, unlike in Hajj. Because in Hajj, according to the consensus of the Imams, an act that is mustahabb (recommended), not a pillar, can be compensated by performing dam (offering a sacrifice).
