Description of How the Prophet ﷺ Concluded the Prayer with Salām:
The Prophet ﷺ, when finishing his prayer, would say:
"السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ"
(Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah) — turning his head to the right, such that the whiteness of his right cheek became visible.
Then he would say the same to the left, turning until the whiteness of his left cheek was seen.
Sometimes, in the first salām (to the right), he would add the words "وَبَرَكَاتُهُ" (and His blessings), while at other times he would suffice with only
“السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ.”
Occasionally, he would give only one salām — saying
"السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ"
while facing forward, turning slightly to the right.
عَن عَامِرِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ سَعْدٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ:
"كُنْتُ أَرَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُسَلِّمُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَعَنْ يَسَارِهِ، حَتَّى يُرَى بَيَاضُ خَدِّهِ."
From Sa‘d ibn Abī Waqqās (may Allah be pleased with him):
“I used to see the Messenger of Allah ﷺ giving salām to his right and to his left, until the whiteness of his cheeks was visible.”
(Sahih Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Chapter: Salām in Prayer, Hadith 582)
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ. وحَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا زَائِدَةُ. وحَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْأَحْوَصِ. وحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الْمُحَارِبِيُّ، وَزِيَادُ بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، قَالَا: حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الطَّنَافِسِيُّ. ح وحَدَّثَنَاتَمِيمُ بْنُ الْمُنْتَصِرِ، أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ يَعْنِي ابْنَ يُوسُفَ، عَنْ شَرِيكٍ. ح حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْرَائِيلُ كُلُّهُمْ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ أَبِي الْأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَقَالَ إِسْرَائِيلُ: عَنْ أَبِي الْأَحْوَصِ، وَالْأَسْوَدِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَكَانَ يُسَلِّمُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ، وَعَنْ شِمَالِهِ حَتَّى يُرَى بَيَاضُ خَدِّهِ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ.
From ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him):
“The Prophet ﷺ used to give salām to his right and to his left until the whiteness of his cheeks was visible, saying:
‘السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ, السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ.’”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Hadith 996)
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ آدَمَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ قَيْسٍ الْحَضْرَمِيُّ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ، عَنْعَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ وَائِلٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَفَكَانَ يُسَلِّمُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، وَعَنْ شِمَالِهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ.
From Wā’il ibn Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him):
“I prayed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he gave salām to his right saying:
‘السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ,’
and to his left saying:
‘السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ.’”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Hadith 997)
Summary of the Sunnah:
1. The Prophet ﷺ would turn his head to the right, saying:
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ
— sometimes adding وَبَرَكَاتُهُ.
2. Then he would turn to the left, saying:
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ.
3. The turning was enough that both cheeks’ whiteness could be seen.
4. Occasionally, he gave only one salām, slightly turning to the right.
Thus, the Sunnah concludes the prayer with one or two salāms, beginning to the right — with serenity, humility, and remembrance of Allah.