Short answer
Whoever sends one salawat on the Prophet ﷺ receives ten blessings from Allah, has ten sins wiped away and is raised ten ranks, according to authentic hadith. It is a command of Allah in the Quran (33:56), it opens a dua, and Friday is its special day. The best wording is Durood Ibrahim, the one recited in salah.
Sending salawat is fard once in a lifetime, wajib (on the relied-upon view, once per gathering) when the Prophet's ﷺ name is mentioned, sunnah in the final sitting of salah, and mustahabb at all other times, especially on Friday and at the start and end of dua.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Salawat in the final tashahhud of every salah is a pillar without which the prayer is not valid.
- Hanbali
- Also counts it a pillar of the final tashahhud in the relied-upon view.
Explanation
"Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels. O you who have believed, ask Allah to confer blessing upon him and ask Allah to grant him peace" (33:56). Salawat (in Urdu, durood) means asking Allah to honour and bless the Prophet ﷺ. The four schools agree on its virtue.
Its rewards in authentic hadith:
- Tenfold: "Whoever sends one salawat on me, Allah sends ten on him" (Muslim). Al-Nasa'i adds that ten sins are wiped away and he is raised ten ranks.
- It reaches him: on Friday especially, "send many blessings on me, for your blessings are presented to me" (Abu Dawud).
- His intercession: after the adhan, send salawat and ask Allah for al-wasilah for him, and his intercession becomes due for you (Muslim).
- A key to dua: scholars advise opening and closing a dua with salawat, which is part of making dua properly.
Which wording? When the Companions asked how to send salawat, the Prophet ﷺ taught them the words now called Durood Ibrahim. That is the best form. Short forms like Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam are also fine: see sallallahu alayhi wasallam. Wordings composed later by scholars are permitted if their meaning is sound, but specific rewards should not be claimed for them without proof.
For when it becomes required, see salawat when you hear his name.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Ahzaab 33:56
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ ۚ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ صَلُّوا۟ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًا ﴿٥٦﴾
Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace.
The command to send salawat on the Prophet.
Sahih Muslim 408
Sahih... من صلى علي واحدة صلى الله عليه عشرا ...
"Whoever sends one blessing on me, Allah sends ten blessings on him."
The tenfold reward of salawat.
Sunan an-Nasa'i 1297
Grading to be checked... من صلى علي صلاة واحدة صلى الله عليه عشر صلوات وحطت عنه عشر خطيئات ورفعت له عشر درجات ...
"Whoever sends one blessing on me, Allah sends ten on him, ten sins are removed from him and he is raised ten ranks."
Salawat wipes sins and raises rank.
Sahih Muslim 384
Sahih... فإنه من صلى علي صلاة صلى الله عليه بها عشرا ثم سلوا الله لي الوسيلة ...
"Whoever sends a blessing on me, Allah sends ten on him for it; then ask Allah for al-wasilah for me."
Salawat after the adhan and the promise of intercession.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3370
Sahih... قولوا اللهم صل على محمد وعلى آل محمد كما صليت على إبراهيم ...
"Say: O Allah, send blessings on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You sent blessings on Ibrahim."
The wording he taught, known as Durood Ibrahim.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Kitab al-Salah, chapter on the description of prayer, on salawat. The levels of the ruling: fard once in life, wajib when his name is mentioned, sunnah in salah.
- al-Majmu' (Nawawi), Kitab al-Salah, the discussion of the tashahhud. The Shafi'i view that salawat in the last tashahhud is a pillar.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.