Is it sunnah to say "wa barakatuhu" while saluting at the end of the prayer? Will you evaluate the narrations regarding the issue?

Dear Brother / Sister,

The narrations regarding the issue are as follows:

- Ibn Mas'ud narrates:

"When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) finished prayer, he would salute to the right and left side and say,

‘Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullah, assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullah.’" [Abu Dawud, Salah 189, (996); Tirmidhi, Salah 221, (295); Nasai, Sahw 71, (3, 63).]

The following addition exists in Abu Dawud after the phrase "to the left": "...We would see the whiteness of his cheek."

The following addition exists in Nasai: "... We would see the whiteness of his cheek from this side."

- The following is stated in Abu Dawud’s narration from Wail Ibnu Hujr:

"The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would salute to the right by saying, ‘assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu’ and to the left by saying, ‘assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullah’.”

The following is stated in Abu Dawud’s narration from Samura Ibn Jundab: "...then salute your imam and yourselves." [Abu Dawud, Salah 189, (997), 182, (875)]

Hanafis and Shafiis decreed based on the first narration. Malikis decreed based on the second narration. The methods of madhhabs related to drawing conclusions from hadiths may differ.

According to Hanafi madhhab, «Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullah» is uttered while saluting. That is the preferred view. It is more appropriate to add the article “al” before the word salam. (al-Muhit - Sarakhsi – Fatawa al-Hindiyya)

According to Hanafis, «wa barakatuhu» is not said at the end of the salutation... It is sunnah to say the second salutation a bit more quietly than the first one. That is the most appropriate one. (al-Muhit / Sarakhsi - at-Tabyin / Zaylai.) (see Celal Yıldırım, Kaynaklarıyla İslam Fıkhı, Uysal Bookstore: 1/266)

According to Maliki madhhab, «wa barakatuhu» is added to the salutation. Those words are not lengthened; they are said quickly. (see Wahba Zuhayli, İslam Fıkhı Ans., II/84)

According to Shafii madhhab, «assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullah» is said in salutation. (see Mehmet Keskin, Büyük Şafii İlmihali, p. 150)

Questions on Islam