Chapter on the Etiquette of the Salām

It is recommended that the one who initiates the greeting say, “al-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh” (peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings), using the plural pronoun even when greeting a single person. The one who responds should say, “wa ʿalaykum al-salām wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh” (and upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings), beginning his reply with the conjunction “wa” (and) in the phrase “wa ʿalaykum.”

851 – ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “al-salāmu ʿalaykum.” The Prophet returned the greeting, and the man sat down. The Prophet then said, “Ten.” Another man came and said, “al-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāh.” The Prophet returned the greeting, the man sat down, and the Prophet said, “Twenty.” Then another came and said, “al-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh.” The Prophet returned the greeting, the man sat down, and the Prophet said, “Thirty.” Reported by Abū Dāwūd and al-Tirmidhī, who graded it ḥasan (sound).

852 – ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ told me, “This is Jibrīl conveying greetings of peace to you.” I replied, “Wa ʿalayhi al-salām wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh.” Agreed upon, and this wording likewise appears in some narrations of the two Ṣaḥīḥs.