Is Writing ‘SAW’ Allowed? The Ruling on Abbreviating Salawat (Syarah Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Have you ever felt rushed when taking notes during a study session or replying to WhatsApp messages, abbreviating the Salawat upon Prophet Muhammad to ‘SAW’, ‘SAS’, or simply ‘S.A.W’? This habit seems trivial and is common among our people. The reason is simple: to be quick and save characters.

However, did you know that classical scholars paid serious attention to this matter? In fact, there was severe reprimand for those who were lazy in writing Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam in its entirety.

One interesting reference that discusses this is the book Syarah Shahih Al-Bukhari by Imam As-Safiri. He quotes advice from Ibnu Ash-Shalah, a renowned hadith expert, regarding the dangers and disadvantages of shortening the phrase of ṣalawāt (blessings upon the Prophet). Let us analyze together what the scholars say about this phenomenon and how we should behave.

Stern Advice from Imam As-Safiri

In his book, Imam As-Safiri issued a rather stinging warning to students of knowledge and writers who are fond of abbreviating ṣalawāt. The term he used for abbreviation at that time was “Shal’am” (an acronym formed from the initial letters), which is the classical equivalent of the modern “SAW”.

Here is the original text from the book:

وكما قال ابن الصلاح ينبغي أن يحافظ على كتابة الصلاة والسلام على رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – عند ذكره , ولا يسأم من تكرير ذلك عند تكرره , فإن ذلك من أكبر الفوائد التي يتعجلها طلبة الحديث وكتبته , ومن أغفل ذلك مرة حرم حظا عظيما . ويتجنب أن يكتب “ صلعم ” مكان – صلى الله عليه وسلم – كما يفعله الكسالى والجهلة وعوام الطلبة , يأخذون من كل كلمة حرفا الصاد من صلي , واللام من الله , والعين من عليه , والميم من وسلم , ويجمعونها “ صلعم ” .

Translation and Core Message:

“And as Ibn ash-Salah said: One should be consistent in writing blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when mentioning his name. And do not feel bored with repeating (the writing) when his name is mentioned repeatedly.”

Indeed, this is one of the greatest benefits immediately obtained by students of Ḥadīth and its authors. Whoever neglects it even once will be barred from a tremendous fortune.

And he should avoid writing the abbreviation “Shal’am” ( صلعم ) as a substitute for the phrase Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, as is done by the lazy, the ignorant, and novice students. They take one letter from each word: the letter Shad from the word Shalla, Lam from Allah, ‘Ain from ‘Alaihi, and Mim from Wa Sallam, then they combine them into ‘Shal’am’.” (Syarah Shahih Al-Bukhari li As-Safiri, Volume 1, Page 80)

The Phenomenon of “Shal’am” and the Abbreviation SAW

Perhaps the term “Shal’am” sounds foreign to our ears. In the past, Arab manuscript copiers often abbreviated ( ص ل ع م ) to speed up their work. In Indonesia, we know it as SAW. Although the form is different, the essence is the same: abbreviating a prayer.

Why is it Labeled as the Behavior of the Lazy?

Imam As-Safiri used rather harsh words, namely Al-Kasala (lazy people) and Al-Jahalah (foolish people). Why were such terms used?

This is because writing shalawat is a form of prayer. Imagine we are praying for our parents or loved ones, would it be polite to shorten the prayer into just letter codes? Of course, that doesn’t feel appropriate. The same applies to our etiquette towards the Messenger of Allah. The laziness of moving our fingers to type a few extra letters makes us lose the meaning of the prayer.

Losing “The Great Fortune”

A point often overlooked is its spiritual effect. Ibn ash-Salah mentioned that writing the complete shalawat is “the greatest benefit to be hastened.”

Scholars believe that as long as the writing of shalawat (blessings upon the Prophet) remains on paper, in books, or even in blog posts and social media, angels will continue to seek forgiveness for the writer. If we abbreviate it to SAW, that phrase is no longer a complete prayer. We lose the automatic reward-generating machine that should continuously flow. What a pity, isn’t it?

Etiquette for Writing the Prophet’s Name on Social Media

Now we live in a fast-paced era. People want to type messages with lightning speed. But, when it comes to the Prophet’s name, we should “slow down” a little.

Here are some tips to make our writing more blessed and in accordance with proper etiquette:

1. Write it completely in Latin script: Type Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. It’s a bit long, but consider it practice for our fingers in sending blessings.
2. Use the Autotext Feature: On Android or iPhone, you can create shortcuts. For example, if you type “saw”, the system will automatically change it to the Arabic script ﷺ or its complete Latin form. This is a smart solution: fast yet still polite.
3. Do Not Grow Weary: Even if the Prophet’s name appears 10 times in a single article or caption, always write it out in full or use the symbol ﷺ. Do not feel repetitive, as each repetition is a new prayer.

Comparison: Recommended vs. Discouraged Writings

To make it easier to understand, let’s look at the following comparison table. This can be your guide when creating content or writing assignments.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Many questions have arisen regarding the technicalities of this writing, especially for content writers and academics. Here’s a summary:

Starting today, let’s make it a habit to write Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam or use the symbol ﷺ in every writing of ours. Besides being an expression of love for the Prophet, this is a long-term investment of reward that we will enjoy the benefits of later.

Hopefully, the explanation from the book Syarah Shahih Al-Bukhari is beneficial and we can practice it together. Don’t forget to share this writing so your friends can also know the knowledge!

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