Question
Is it makruh to use abbreviation for salām?
e.g “slm”, “slmz” “aslm”
As well will one achive the sunnah
Is the salām is written in transliteration
E.g Assalāmu ‘Alaikum
جزاكم الله خيرا
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-Salāmu ʿAlaykum Wa-Raḥmatullāhi Wa-Barakātuh
In principle, the salām should be conveyed in its complete form, as the more complete form carries greater virtue and reward. ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn رضي الله عنه narrates:
عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ قَالَ: «جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ. فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامَ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: عَشْرٌ. ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ فَقَالَ: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ. فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ فَجَلَسَ، فَقَالَ: عِشْرُونَ. ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ فَقَالَ: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ. فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ فَجَلَسَ، فَقَالَ: ثَلَاثُونَ.
“A man came to Nabi ﷺ and said, “Assalāmu ʿAlaikum,” He ﷺ responded to his salām, and then he sat down. Nabi ﷺ said, ‘Ten.’ Then another man came and said, “Assalāmu ʿAlaikum wa Raḥmatullāh,” He ﷺ responded to him, and then he sat down. He ﷺ said, ‘Twenty.’ Then another man came and said, “Assalāmu ʿAlaikum wa Raḥmatullāhi wa Barakātuh,” He ﷺ responded to him, and then he sat down. He ﷺ said, ‘Thirty.’ (Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4/516)
Accordingly, abbreviating the salām by writing expressions such as “slm,” “slmz,” or “aslm” should be avoided. Such abbreviations do not convey the salām in its complete form, and one should not consider the Sunnah of conveying the salām in its proper form to have been fulfilled through such abbreviations.
As for writing the salām in transliteration, such as “Assalāmu ʿAlaikum,” this is permissible and conveys the intended salām. [1]
And Allah Taʿāla Knows Best.
Baba Abu Bakr
Student -Darul Iftaa
Accra, Ghana
Checked and Approved by
Mufti Muhammad Zakariyya Desai
https://iftaa.co.za/20003/using-abbreviation-for-salam/
