Is it permissible for a father to lead his daughters and wife in prayer and confine the salutation to the form, "Peace be upon you all (feminine plural)"?
The salutation (Taslim) is one of the pillars of prayer, and its reported form is: "Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah" (Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah). It is permissible to add "wa barakatuh" (and His blessings). This form is the same for everyone, whether men or women, or individuals, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Pray as you have seen me pray." Therefore, whoever intentionally makes the salutation with another form, such as "Assalamu alaikunna" (Peace be upon you all - feminine plural) or "Assalamu alaika" (Peace be upon you - masculine singular), their prayer is invalidated.
The form must be in the plural, "Assalamu alaikum" (Peace be upon you all); because the worshipper is not devoid of the accompanying angels. The Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali schools of thought agreed on the salutation being a pillar, but they differed on its sufficient wording:
Malikis and Shafi'is: Its sufficient wording is "Assalamu alaikum." "Salamullah" (Peace of Allah) or "Salami" (My peace) or "Salam alaikum" (Peace upon you) is not sufficient. The word "alaikum" must come after "Assalamu," and it must be in Arabic. Hanbalis: Its sufficient wording is "Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah." If "wa rahmatullah" is not said, it is not sufficient except in the funeral prayer. Indefiniteness of "Salam," or its definition without the definite article (al-), or reversing it, or the form "Assalamu alaika" is not sufficient. Whoever intentionally deviates from the reported form, their prayer is invalidated.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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