حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ الأَعْمَشِ، حَدَّثَنِي شَقِيقُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ كُنَّا إِذَا جَلَسْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الصَّلاَةِ قُلْنَا السَّلاَمُ عَلَى اللَّهِ قَبْلَ عِبَادِهِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَى فُلاَنٍ وَفُلاَنٍ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏لاَ تَقُولُوا السَّلاَمُ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ السَّلاَمُ وَلَكِنْ إِذَا جَلَسَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَقُلِ التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ فَإِنَّكُمْ إِذَا قُلْتُمْ ذَلِكَ أَصَابَ كُلَّ عَبْدٍ صَالِحٍ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ - أَوْ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ - أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ثُمَّ لْيَتَخَيَّرْ أَحَدُكُمْ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ أَعْجَبَهُ إِلَيْهِ فَيَدْعُو بِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

‘Abd Allah b. Mas’ud said

When we sat with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the prayer, we used to say: 'Peace be upon Allah before His servants, peace be upon so-and-so.' So the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: 'Do not say: "Peace be upon Allah," for Allah Himself is the Peace. But when one of you sits, let him say: "At-tahiyyat (salutations) are for Allah, and the prayers, and the good things. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah." For if you say that, it will reach every righteous slave in the heavens and the earth, or between the heavens and the earth. "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger." Then let each of you choose whatever supplication pleases him most and supplicate with it.'