Which Salwat "صلوات" is correct?

Question

Have you ever come across this Hadith:

حدثنی سعید ابن یحیی: خدثنا ابی:حدثنا مسعر عن الحکم عن ابن ابی لیلی عن کعب ابن عجره (رضی الله عنه): قیل یا رسول الله! اما السلام علیک فقد عرفناه، فکیف الصلاة علیک، قال(ص) قولوا: اللهم صل علی محمد و علی آل محمد، کما صلّیت علی آل ابراهیم انک حمید مجید اللهم بارک علی محمد و علی آل محمد کما بارکت علی آل ابراهیم انک حمید مجید

The Prophet Mohammad was asked: "As for (how to say) Peace on you, we already know it, so (let us know) how to bestow blessings on you. He replied: " Say: O' Allah bestow blessings on Muhammad and Muhammad's Family ( or clan) as you bestowed blessings on Abraham's Family, Indeed you are all-laudable all-glorious, O' Allah bless Muhammad and Muhammad's Family as you blessed Abraham's Family, indeed you are all-laudable all-glorious.

This Hadith is narrated in Tafsir book of Sahih Bukhari (No.4797) interpreting the verse 56 of Surah Ahzab:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَ مَلائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلِّمُوا تَسْليماً
Indeed Allah and His angels bless the Prophet; O you who have faith! Invoke blessings on him and invoke Peace upon him in a worthy manner.

So with due respect, why are our Sunni brothers insisting on leaving out the part "وآل محمد" from صلوات and saying just "صلی الله علیه و سلم" ?

Answer 1

For the sake of this answer, I will split الصلاة على النبي into two parts or times:

1. In the Salat

2. Out of Salat

As for the first, a person must say what has been narrated from the Prophet, and there are many forms of الصلاة الابراهيمية narrated by the Prophet, one of which is in your question. But out of Salat the matter is flexible. Since الصلاة على النبي is Dua', any form which fulfills the order is valid, even if technically we should stay with that which has been authentically narrated.

You say that Ahlussunnah insist on leaving out وآله from صلی الله علیه و سلم, when in fact صلی الله علیه و سلم is merely one of the forms used. There are three forms that I know of:

• صلّى الله عليه وسلّم
• صلّى الله عليه وعلى آله وصحبه وسلّم
• صلّى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلّم

and this is outside of salat, and I do not see the problem you are seeing nor is the claim you make is correct. The salat on the Prophet is an order, the Salat on the family of the Prophet is a Rights, so if a Muslim is making the five times Salawat, and making them properly according to the Sunnah then that Muslim is fulfilling both the order and the rights, and so outside of the Salat what does it matter whether he chooses to say صلّى الله عليه وسلّم or something else which fulfills the same purpose?