(*) The two added phrases have been taken from the printed edition of Sifat al-Salat; see the annotation on the next page. (4) The report goes back to Abu Masud al-Ansari, Uqbah b. Amr, who said: “The Messenger of Allah came to us while we were sitting in the gathering of Saad b. Ubadah. Bishr b. Saad said to him: ‘Allah, the Exalted, has commanded us to invoke blessings upon you, O Messenger of Allah. How, then, should we do so?’ The Messenger of Allah remained silent until we wished he had not asked him. Then he said: ‘Say: …’ and he mentioned the wording.” It was narrated by Malik (1/179); and from him by Muslim (2/16), Abu Dawud (1/155), al-Nasai (1/189), al-Tirmidhi (2/212, Bulak ed.)—who declared it sound—al-Darimi (1/310), al-Tahawi (3/71), al-Bayhaqi (2/146), Ahmad (4/118), and Abu Awana (2/211). All of them transmit it through Malik, from Nuaym b. Abd Allah al-Mujmir, from Muhammad b. Abd Allah b. Zayd. The additional phrases numbered (2) and (4) appear in the versions of Muslim and al-Nasai, while the other additional phrase is found in Malik, al-Tirmidhi, and al-Darimi. The hadith also has a shorter chain that contains both additions; al-Nasai (1/190) narrated it through Abd al-Rahman b. Bishr, from Abu Masud al-Ansari, who said: “It was said to the Prophet: We have been commanded to invoke blessings upon you and to extend greetings of peace. As for the greeting, we already know it; but how should we invoke blessings upon you? He said:”