Using “‘alayhi al-salam” and the title “Imam”

Question

Zayd says that in the light of the noble hadith: [ar]مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَوْمٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ[/ar] “Whoever imitates a people is one of them,” the Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama‘a should avoid everything that is a particular trait and distinctive emblem (shi‘ar) of some community. For example, it is an emblem of the Rafidis (Rawafid) that they say “‘alayhi al-salam” (عليه السلام)

Answer

Mulla ‘Ali al-Qari ﵀, in “Sharh al-Fiqh al-Akbar” (p. 204), called writing “‘alayhi al-salam” with ‘Ali ﵁ an emblem of the Shi‘a and the people of bid‘a (innovation in religion); therefore he forbids it. Taraddi (saying “radiyallahu ‘anhu” — رضي الله عنه) for the Companions is an emblem of the Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama‘a.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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