'Alayhi al-Salam: Difference between revisions

ʿAlayh al-salam (literally: peace be upon him) is an honorific supplication, used after mentioning the names of the Shiite Imams, prophets, some Imamzadas, and some angels.

Verse 157 of Sura al-Baqara, 43 of Sura al-Ahzab, and 54 of Sura al-Anʿam have been adduced as evidence for the permissibility of sending peace to the Imams and believers, since in all of these verses peace and greeting are sent to all believers. In his instructions on how to write about Islamic disciplines, al-Shahid al-Thani recommends writing “ʿalayh al-salam” after mentioning the Imams.

Sunni Muslims write “radi Allah ʿanh” (may God be pleased with him) after mentioning Shiite Imams, as they do after mentioning the Prophet’s companions. There are cases in which Sunni Muslims use the phrase ʿalayh al-salam for Imam ʿAli (a), as opposed to other caliphs. However, Ibn al-Kathir, a student of Ibn Taymiyya, believes that it is improper to use this phrase for Imam ʿAli (a) without using it for other caliphs.

To honor women like Lady Fatima (a), Zaynab (a), and Khadija (a), Shias use the feminine form “ʿalayha al-salam” or “salam Allah ʿalayha,” and in the case of the Prophet (s), they use the phrase “salla Allah ʿalayh wa-alih” (May God send peace upon him and his household).

The phrase “ʿalayh al-salam” is abbreviated as (a) and the phrase “salla Allah ʿalayh wa-alih” is abbreviated as (s).

“ʿAlayh al-salam” is a supplication phrase, which means “peace be upon him.” It is used after mentioning the Imams, prophets, some Imamzadas such as ʿAbbas (a), ʿAli al-Akbar (a), and ʿAli al-Asghar (a), as well as some angels such as Gabriel or Jibraʾil.

When two Imams or prophets are mentioned, the dual form of the phrase is used: ʿalayhima al-salam (peace be upon them both), and when more than two are mentioned, the plural form is used: ʿalayhim al-salam (peace be upon them). Other than ʿalayh al-salam, there are other phrases, which Shias use after mentioning the Imams (a), such as salam Allah ʿalayh (God’s peace be upon him), salawat Allah ʿalayh (God’s greetings be to him), ʿalayh al-salat wa-l-salam (greeting and peace be upon him), as well as more embellished phrases such as: ʿalayh afdal al-salat wa-l-salam (the greatest greeting and peace be upon him) and ʿalayh alaf al-tahiyya wa-l-thana (thousands of salutations and praises be upon him).

When women and girls from the Prophet’s household are mentioned, including Lady Fatima (a), Lady Zaynab (a), Lady Maʿsuma (a), as well as other females such as Khadija the Prophet’s wife, May the mother of Jesus, and Asiya the wife of the Pharaoh, the phrase “salam Allah ʿalayha” or “ʿalayha al-salam” are used. In the case of the Prophet (s), instead of “ʿalayh al-salam,” the phrase “salla Allah ʿalayh wa-alih” is used.

Sunni Muslims honor prophets and some angels by using “ʿalayh al-salam,” but in the case of Shiite Imams, they use the same phrase they use for Sahaba: radi Allah ʿanh (may God be pleased with him). For Imam ʿAli (a), they also use the phrase “karram Allah wajhah” (may God honor his face). Moreover, in Sunni books, the phrase “ʿalayh al-salam” is often used after mentioning Imam ʿAli (a). Ibn al-Kathir, a Sunni historiographer and Quranic exegete, and Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid, a Salafi scholar, believe that in these cases “ʿalayh al-salam” was used after Imam ʿAli’s name not by the authors, but by transcribers.

Sunni scholars sometimes use the phrase “salla Allah ʿalayh wa-sallam” (may God greet him and send peace upon him) and sometimes “salla Allah ʿalayh wa-alih wa-sallam” (may God greet him and his household and send peace), and they sometimes they “ʿalayh al-salam” after mentioning the Prophet (s).

According to a manuscript of the book al-Irshad, which was transcribed in 566 AH, the phrase “ʿalayh al-salam” is used for the Imams (a).

In his account of the etiquette of writing Islamic disciplines, al-Shahid al-Thani, a tenth-century AH Shiite jurist, recommends writing “ʿalayh al-salam” after mentioning the Imams (a). According to Fakhr al-Muhaqqiqin, a Shiite jurist in the eighth century AH, Shiite scholars permit sending peace and greetings to all believers, although he asserts that it is more polite to confine such peace and greeting to the Prophet (s) and the Imams (a) and to refrain using it for other believers.

In contrast, Ibn al-Kathir, a student of Ibn Taymiyya, and ʿAbd al-ʿAziz bin Baz, a Wahhabi mufti, believe that it is improper to use “ʿalayh al-salam” after mentioning Imam ʿAli (a), without using it in the case of other caliphs (as is practiced in some Sunni books).