Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam Meaning, Arabic Text and Symbol
In the Islamic faith, certain phrases and expressions hold immense significance and reverence. One such revered phrase is “Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam” (SAW), which is recited after mentioning the name of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
But have you ever wondered what this phrase truly means and why it’s so vital in Islam?
In this blog post, we’ll delve into the meaning and significance of “Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam”, exploring its importance and how Muslims worldwide incorporate it into their daily lives as a sign of respect, honor, and devotion to the Prophet (SAW).
Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam in Arabic
In Arabic, this phrase is written as,
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam Symbol (Short Form)
ﷺ
The short form Arabic symbol is written as ﷺ, this makes the articles and post online more user friendly to read. It would be used like, the messenger of Allah (ﷺ) or Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) instead of the prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ).
Transliteration/ Common Spellings
There are common spellings or abbreviations used when writing this phrase, some of them are:
- Sallallahu alayhi wasallam
- Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
- Salla allahu alayhi wasallam
- Salla llahu alayhi wa-sallam
- S.A.W
- SAAW
- S.A.W.S
Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam Meaning in English
The meaning of Sallallahu alayhi wasallam in English is peace and blessings of Allah be upon him or May Allah honor him and grant him peace or May Allah send blessings and peace upon him. It is the shortest salat which is recited whenever the Muslim hear the name of Prophet Muhammad or when mentioning the Prophet’s name.
It is prescribed is to write “salla Allaahu ‘alayhi wa salaam (May Allaah send blessings and peace upon him)” in full, and not to write it in abbreviated form, such as writing (S) or (SAWS) etc.
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Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
As it is prescribed to send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in prayer when saying the tashahhud, and it is prescribed when giving khutbahs, saying du’aa’ and praying for forgiveness, and after the adhaan, and when entering and exiting the mosque, and when mentioning him in other circumstances, so it is more important to do so when writing his name in a book, letter, article and so on.
So it is prescribed to write the blessing in full so as to fulfil the command that Allaah has given to us, and so that the reader will remember to say the blessing when he reads it.
So we should not write the blessing on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in short form such as writing (S) or (SAWS) etc, or other forms that some writers use, because that is going against the command of Allaah in His Book, where He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Send your Salaah on (ask Allaah to bless) him (Muhammad), and (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islamic way of greeting (salutation, i.e. As‑Salaamu ‘Alaykum)” [al-Ahzaab 33:56]
And that (writing it in abbreviated form) does not serve that purpose and is devoid of the virtue of writing “salla Allaahu ‘alayhi wa salaam (May Allaah send blessings and peace upon him)” in full.
Moreover the reader may not take notice of it and may not understand what is meant by it. It should also be noted that the symbol used for it is regarded as disapproved by the scholars, who warned against it.
Why Do We Say Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam?
We say “Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam” (SAW) as a sign of reverence and to send blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), a noble act of worship that brings us closer to Allah.
This practice is divinely ordained and emphasized by the Prophet (SAW) himself, who promised a multiplied reward, forgiveness of sins, and the fulfillment of needs.
While sending blessings upon the Prophet (SAW) honors him, it also benefits the person doing so. As the greatest rights after those of Allah are the Prophet’s (SAW), it is our duty to reciprocate his favor, which brought many from darkness to light.
May we be guided to continually send blessings upon him until the Day of Judgment, as long as night and day exist, and as long as righteous individuals remember him.
May Allah assist us in performing virtuous acts and protecting us from our own selves, for He is the Most Munificent and Generous.
