The author, Shaykh Zakarīyyah al-Anṣārī, then mentioned that Imām al-Nawawī related that there is consensus among those who are relied upon that it is legislated to send ṣalāh upon the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) in speech as well as writing. So therefore, it not from the Sunnah to use symbols or abbreviations in place of it.

[1] Sending ṣalāh on the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) means that one invokes Allāh to praise him and mention his high status to the angels. See Jalāl al-Afhām (p.253) of Ibn Al-Qayyim, Fat′h al-Bārī (11/179-197) of Ibn Hajr, or Ibn Kathīr’s tafsīr to verse 33:56.

[2] Salām: Security

[3] the meaning of Sūrah al-Aḥzāb (33):56

[4] an authentic ḥadīth collected by Ibn Hibbān in his Ṣaḥīḥ (#906, 3/187) on the authority of Abū Hurayrah (may Allāh be pleased with him). al-Albānī declared it to be ṣaḥīḥ in Silsilat al-Aḥādīth al-Ṣaḥīḥah (#3359, 7/1080).

[5] from a ḥasan ḥadīth collected by Ibn Abī al-Dunyā in Al-Ṣalāh ʿalá al-Nabī (p.30-31) on the authority of Abū Tharr (may Allāh be pleased with him). Ḥamdī al-Salafī called it ḥasan in his checking of the book.

[6] from an authentic ḥadīth collected by al-Tabarānī in al-Muʿjam Al-Kabeer on the authority of Jābir ibn Samurah (may Allāh be pleased with him). al-Albānī authenticated it in his checking of al-Mundhirī’s al-Targhīb wa-al-Tarḥīb (#1677,2/298).

[7] Mu’jam al-Manāhī al-Laf‘thiyyah (p.188)

[8] Mu’jam al-Manāhī al-Laf‘thiyyah (p.188-189)

[9] Al-Fatāwá al-Ḥadīthiyyah (p.168)

[10] from his book As-Ṣalātu wa-al-Bushr, as quoted in Mu’jam al-Manāhī al-Laf‘thiyyah (p.351)

[11] the Musnad of Imām Aḥmad (#5088, 9/105)

[12] from a handwritten answer given to me by the shaykh (I have it on file #AAWA004 dated 1423/6/24)

Original Source: Writing S.A.W. for “sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam”

Compiled and translated by Shaykh Mūsá Richardson