8.       1.         One receives 10 good deeds for saying اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْکُمْ, 20 good deeds if          وَ رَحْمَۃُ اللّٰہ is further added, 30 if وَ بَرَکَاتُہٗ is also added. Some people add    جنَّت الْمَقام and دَوزَخُ الْحَرام but this is incorrect. Some people add other words according to their whims, regarding which, Imam-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat, Mujaddid of the Ummah, reviver of the Sunnah, destroyer of Bid’ah, scholar of sacred law, guide of spirituality, fountain of blessing, ‘Allamah, Maulana, Al-Haaj, Al-Hafiz, Al-Qari, Ash-Shah, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan عَـلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الـرَّحْمٰن writes in his classical work of Fiqh, Fatawa Razawiyyah: One should at least say the words اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْکُمْ; it is better to add وَ رَحْمَۃُ اللّٰہِ and it would be best to add وَ بَرَکَاتُہٗ, but nothing more. The one replying must say at least the same words however, it is better to add the aforementioned words. For example, if one is greeted with اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْکُمْ then one should reply with وَ عَلَیْکُمُ السَّلَامُ وَ رَحْمَۃُ اللّٰہ. If he is greeted with اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْکُمْ وَ رَحْمَۃُ اللّٰہ, then one should reply وَعَلَیْکُمُ السَّلَامُ وَ رَحْمَۃُ اللّٰہِ وَ بَرَکَاتُہٗ. If one is greeted with اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْکُمْ وَ رَحْمَۃُ اللّٰہِ وَ بَرَکَاتُہٗ, then one should reply with the same words nothing more. وَاللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى اَعۡلَم

9.       2.         The one replying can receive 30 good deeds as well by saying                     وَ عَلَیْکُمُ السَّلَامُ وَ رَحْمَۃُ اللّٰہِ وَ بَرَکَاتُہٗ in return.

10.   It is Wajib [obligatory] to reply with Salam immediately in a voice audible to the one who greeted you with Salam.

11.   Learn the correct pronunciation of the Salam. First, I will say it then you repeat after me (اَسْ۔سَلَا۔مُ۔عَلَی۔کُمْ) اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْکُمْ, now I will say the reply and you repeat it after me, وَ عَلَیْکُمُ السَّلَامُ (وَ۔عَ۔لَیْكُ۔مُسْ۔سَلَام).

To learn various Sunan, obtain the following books, Bahar-e-Shari’at part 16 comprising of 312 pages and Sunnatayn aur Aadaab, comprising of 120 pages, both published by Maktaba-tul-Madinah, the publishing department of Dawat-e-Islami. One of the best ways to learn Sunan is to travel in the Madani Qafilahs of Dawat-e-Islami with the lovers of the Beloved Prophet.