Some Muslims claim that it is a grave sin to shorten the written form of salawat (i.e., blessings and peace) on the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) instead of writing the full form "Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam". What is the ruling on this?

It is an Islamic obligation to invoke salawat on the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Invoking salawat (i.e. peace and blessings) on the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is a religious obligation. The hadith scholar Ibn Abd al-Bar wrote in his book Al-Istizkar, "Scholars have unanimously agreed that invoking salawat on the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is an obligation upon every believer due to the words of God Almighty Who said, “God and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O you who believe! Send your blessings on him, and salute him with all respect.”

It is an Islamic obligation to revere and love Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) who is the seal of all the messengers sent by God to guide humankind. Like the other prophets and messengers, God Almighty sent Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) to spread peace and happiness among humans. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the best of all prophets and messengers and occupies the highest and greatest rank in the sight of God Almighty. He was sent to all creation while the prophets who came before him were sent specifically to their people. All previous prophets and messengers gave the glad tidings of his advent and God sent down with him the noble Quran which is the final word of God to mankind and the last covenant he took upon them. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) will intercede for all Muslims before God Almighty on the Day of Judgment.

Why do Muslims love and revere the Prophet Muhammad? Muslims, as well as anyone who reads about Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and learns his true biography, love him because he has all the reasons for being loved in the full sense of the word. These reasons are many and include:

- Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the Messenger of the Creator of this universe. It follows then that loving the Creator necessitates loving His Messenger, while respecting and venerating the Messenger reflect one’s love and veneration for God Almighty.

- A person is loved if he brings blessings and favors. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the conduit for the greatest blessing that God bestowed upon His creation; namely, guiding them to the truth and the pleasure of God Almighty. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is therefore the means through which one can obtain the eternal blessing of paradise.

- A person is loved if he is the reason behind warding off harm. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is the means through which we are saved from going astray, thus saving us from hellfire which is the eternal abode for those who disbelieve in God Most High and deny His Divinity and Lordship.

- Noble manners and characteristics is another reason for winning the love of others and the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) had the best and most perfect manners with which he interacted with Muslims and non-Muslims alike. He surpassed all other humans in terms of his characteristics and attributes. He was merciful and kind towards the young and old alike and was like a tender father to all; he was gentle and patient, forgave others from a position of power and was forbearing in face of harm. He was generous, altruistic, kind, courageous, helpful, just, trustworthy, chaste, pure, faithful, and maintained ties of kinship. He was truthful, humble, and indifferent to worldly pleasures.

The ruling

Based on the above and in reference to the lofty status of our Prophet of mercy (peace and blessings be upon him), it is disliked to write the abbreviated form of salawat on the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The reasons are:

- These abbreviations are not acknowledged in the Arabic language.

- It is mandatory for every Muslim to revere and exalt the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) upon mentioning his name.

- Uttering (silently or audibly) or writing down the full form of salawat on the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entails a great virtue and reward as per the words of the beloved (peace and blessings be upon him), “Whoever sends blessings on me once will have God send blessings on him ten times.” However, it is not blameworthy to use the abbreviated form.

And God Almighty knows best.