In the Qur’an, surah Al-Ahzab (33) verse 56, Allah commands the believers (mu’minin) to send blessings upon the Messenger of Allah.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who believe, send blessings upon him and greet him with a worthy salutation.

Salawat is important enough that Allah saw fit to command it in the Qur’an. But for a believer who wishes to obey that command, a question arises in all our minds: what is the correct way of sending blessings upon the Messenger of Allah SAAW, so that we are not counted as having neglected the command?

1. Quoting from Sahih Bukhari(1), specifically book 55 (the Prophets), hadith 589, we find that the Messenger of Allah taught us how to send blessings upon him.

From Abdur Rahman bin Abu Laila, who said: Ka’b bin Ujrah met me and said, “Shall I give you a gift, something I heard from the Prophet SAW?” I answered, “Yes, give it to me.” He said: We asked the Messenger of Allah SAW, saying, “O Messenger of Allah, how are we to send blessings upon you and the ahlul bayt? Allah has taught us how to give the salutation.” He said, “Say:

Allahumma sholli alaa Muhammad wa ala aali Muhammad, kamaa sholaita ala Ibroohiim wa ala aali Ibroohiim. Innaka hamiidun majiid.
Allahumma baarik ala Muhammad wa ala aali Muhammad, kamaa baarokta ala Ibroohiim wa ala aali Ibroohiim. Innaka hamiidun majiid.

“O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim. Indeed You are the Praiseworthy, the Glorious.
O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Indeed You are the Praiseworthy, the Glorious.”

2. In Sahih Bukhari, book 60 (Tafsir), hadith 320
From Ka’b bin Ujra: “O Messenger of Allah! We know how to give you the salutation, but how are we to send blessings upon you?” The Messenger of Allah said, “Say: Allahumma shalli ala Muhammad wa’ala aali Muhammad, kama shollaita ’ala ali Ibrahim. Innaka hamidun majid.”

Ibn Taimiyah cites a hadith bearing on the Verse of Salawat (QS Al-Ahzab (33) verse 56) above, concerning the warning the Messenger of Allah Saw gave his companions: “Do not send blessings upon me with a truncated salawat.” The companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what is meant by a truncated salawat?” He replied, “You say: O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad — and then you stop there! Say: O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad (Allahumma Shalli ’alaa Muhammad wa aali Muhammad)

As believers we are obliged to say the correct salawat upon the Messenger of Allah SAAW, and on the basis of the explanation above it is fitting that we say it as the Messenger of Allah SAAW taught us, and not truncated as we have so often heard.

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(1) This hadith can also be found in volume 4, hadith 3213 of Sahih Bukhari published by CV Asy Syifa’ — Semarang, 1993, by Achmad Sunarto and others.