“…Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who believe, invoke blessings upon him and salute him with worthy greetings.” (Qur’an 33:56)

Just as blessing him ﷺ encompasses extending peace to him—as the noble verse and the formula of the tashahhud both show—so, too, it may be that mentioning peace upon him, when left unqualified, likewise includes blessings. This is the thought that has occurred to me at this point; if it is correct, then it is from Allah Most High, and if it is otherwise, I seek Allah’s forgiveness and ask that whoever is able will set it right.

Al-Sindi said:

“It was prescribed to send peace upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when the worshiper enters the mosque and when he leaves it, because he is the reason one is able to enter the mosque and obtain such immense good; therefore he should be remembered with good. Mercy is specified for the entrance and bounty for the exit because entering aims at securing mercy and forgiveness, whereas outside the mosque is the place where livelihood is sought, and that is what is meant by bounty.”

Notice: Shaykh al-Islām said in al-Radd ʿalā al-Ikhnāʾī (p. 150):

“In Sunan Abū Dāwūd and elsewhere it is reported that one should say upon entering the mosque: ‘O Allah, I ask You for the best entrance and the best exit. In the name of Allah we enter and in the name of Allah we leave, and upon Allah we rely.’”

I say: The hadith occurs in the “Etiquette” chapter of Sunan Abū Dāwūd, related from Abū Mālik al-Ashʿarī, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When a man enters his house, let him say: ‘O Allah…’”