What to do when encountering narrations that mention the messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) without the statement “صلى الله عليه وسلم” after reference to him (صلى الله عليه وسلم)?

[Q]: We were hoping that we could perhaps be given a little direction in this query, Allāhu yubārik fīk. Recently in our hifdh circle, we came across a Ḥadīth where the narrator mentions the messenger of Allāh, (صلى الله عليه وسلم); however, the salutations on the Messenger are not mentioned within the Ḥadīth by the narrator. The Ḥadīth is below:
Ḥadīth 21, Imām Al-Nawawī’s 40 Aḥādīth.

On the authority of Abū ‘Amr- and he is also known as Abū ‘Amrah Sufyān ibn ʿAbdullāh (raḍī Allāhu ʿan hu) who said: I said, ”Oh Messenger of Allāh, tell me something about Islām that I cannot ask anyone other than you.” He said, ‘‘Say, ‘i believe in Allāh and then remain steadfast upon that” (related by Muslim).
pg 120 Explanatory Notes on Imām al-Nawawī’s Forty Aḥādīth -Revisited (Tarbiyyah Publishing)

The sisters were unsure how to approach this when memorising, bearing in mind the ḥadīth of the Messenger where he descends from the pulpit saying “amīn” on three occasions, one being in response to Jibrāʾīl rebuking (may his nose be rubbed/covered in dust) the one who does not send salutations on the Messenger when he is mentioned.

We were wondering do we send salutations to the Prophet when being tested in recalling the ḥadīth, or do we memorise the ḥadīth as it is; verbatim?

BārakaAllāhu fīka

[A]: Read the text out loud as is, do not add anything, and say “صلى الله عليه وسلم” silently to yourself. This is what my shaykh, Muḥammad ʿUmar Bāzmūl (may Allāh preserve him) does when he recites khuṭbah al-hājah intending to recite it verbatim as a text. He pauses and says “صلى الله عليه وسلم” under his breath when he gets to wa anna muḥammadan abduhu wa rasūluhu.

And Allāh knows best.

Answered by: Mūsá Richardson