How to give salam and how to reply
Question
One person says “السلام عليكم”, and the other replies “وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته ومغفرته”. Is this reply correct, and is there any proof for it from anywhere or not?
Answer
It is best that the one giving salam greets thus: “السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته”, and the one replying says: “وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته”. Adding any word beyond this, such as “ومغفرته” (“and His forgiveness”), is not appropriate, even though in some narrations the word “ومغفرته” has come with the salam, as is found in Mishkat al-Masabih (p. 398).
Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya
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