gathering. It seemed as if they were waiting for someone. The Syrian saint  رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه humbly asked the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, ‘Ya Rasoolallah صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! May my parents be sacrificed for you! Huzoor who is being waited for?’ The Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, ‘We are waiting for Ahmad Raza.’ The Syrian saint رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه asked, Huzoor ‘Who is Ahmad Raza?’ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, ‘He is a native of Bareilly in India.’ When the saint awoke, he immediately left for India to meet A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه. But when he reached Bareilly Shareef, he found out that A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه passed away on the same day (i.e. 25^th Safar, 1340 A.H.) when he heard the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم saying in his dream that ‘We are waiting for Ahmad Raza.’ (Malfuzaat-e-A’la Hadrat, pp. 35 - 36)

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب           صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Sunan and manners of Salam

1. It is Sunnah to say Salam when meeting a Muslim.

2. Ninety mercies descend upon the one who takes the lead in Salam and ten mercies descend upon the one who replies. (Kimiya-e-Sa’adat)

3. One receives 10 virtues for saying ﴿اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْـکُمْ﴾, 20 virtues if ﴿وَ رَحْمَۃُ اللّٰہِ﴾ is further added, 30 if ﴿وَ بَرَکَاتُہٗ﴾ is also added.

4. The person who takes the lead in saying Salam is free from arrogance.

5. The person one who takes the lead in saying Salam is close to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

6. The best words of Salam are ﴿اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْـکُمُ وَ رَحْمَۃُ اللّٰہِ وَ بَرَکَاتُہٗ﴾ i.e., may peace be upon you, and mercies and blessings descend from Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. (Derived from: Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 22, pp. 409)

7. The best words for the reply to Salam are as follows                                      ﴿وَعَلَیْـکُمُ السَّلَامُ وَ رَحْمَۃُ اللّٰہِ وَ بَرَکَاتُہٗ﴾ i.e., and may peace be upon you too, and mercies and blessings descend from Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. (Derived from: Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 22, pp. 409)

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

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب           صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد