The meaning of “Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam”

The meaning of “Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam”

Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam – The salaah and salaam of Allaah be upon His Prophet Muhammad.

The salaah of Allaah upon Prophet Muhammad is His Praise of the Prophet before the angels who are close to (but below) Allaah, the Most High, who istawaa (ascended) upon His ‘Arsh (Throne), which is above the seven heavens, in a manner that suits His Majesty. The angels also praise the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam).
The salaam is Allaah’s safeguarding of the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) from deficiencies and any kind of evil, and the protection of the Message with which he was entrusted.

When the Muslim says “sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam”, he invokes Allaah to grant His Praise and Security to Prophet Muhammad and the protection of the Message of Islam which was revealed to him (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam).

[See Ibnul Qayyim’s Jalaa’ul Afhaam fee Fadlis-Salaati-wa-Salaam ‘alaa Muhammadin Khairil Anaam, [Damascus, Syria: Daar Ibn Katheer, and Daar at-Turaath, Al-Madeenah, Saudi Arabia 1408/1988, p.128].

Source :
Tafseer Ayatul-Kursi – By Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-’Uthaymeen
With Related Points of Benefit From the Shaykh’s Commentary on Imaam ibn Taymeeyah’s Sharhul ’Aqeedatil-Waasitiyyah, Prepared by Dr. Saleh As-Saleh (rahimahullah)