saying in the first: “Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings,” and in the second: “Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah.” The hadith was recorded by Abu Dawud (1). Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: “Its chain of transmission is sound.”

Fifth: If he limits himself to a single salām, is it sufficient?

Answer: This too is a point over which the scholars differed (2). Some held that it is sufficient, based on the hadith of Aishah: “He would conclude the prayer with the salām.” (3) This is general wording, which may be fulfilled by one salām.

Others held that it is not sufficient, because the definite article in “the salām” refers to the salām understood in the mind—namely: “Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah” to the right, and “Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah” to the left. This is the well-known position of the Hanbali school. (4) They cited the following evidence:

1. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “It would suffice for one of you to place his hand on his thigh and give salām to his brother on his right and on his left.” (5) They said: What falls short of sufficiency cannot be valid.

2. His consistent practice, peace and blessings be upon him, of making the two salāms, whether resident or travelling, and in the presence of desert-dwellers, Bedouins, the learned, and the ignorant; along with his statement: “Pray as you have seen me pray,” (6) indicates that both are indispensable.