Is it true that angels deliver the Salam (greetings) to the Prophet ﷺ? So you do not need to ask people who visit Madinah to give Salam to the Prophet ﷺ for you.
Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind
Short Answer
Yes, it is true that angels deliver the Salam (greetings) to the Prophet ﷺ. This fact is established in Sahih Hadith narrations. So, yes you would not need to ask anyone to convey your Salam.
Explanation
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: إِنَّ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مَلَائِكَةً سَيَّاحِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ، يُبَلِّغُونِي مِنْ أُمَّتِي السَّلَامَ
(Sayidina) Abdullah bin Masood narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Indeed, Allah (Most High) has angels who travel the Earth conveying to me the Salam of my Ummah. (Musnad Ahmad, 4320)
In this Mubarak Hadith it is made clear that angels deliver the Salam of Muslims to the Prophet ﷺ. This is a great blessing, since we can send Salam to our beloved Prophet ﷺ at any time. We do not need to wait for someone who is visiting Madinah Sharif to convey our Salam.
Authenticity
The Hadith above has been narrated in many authoritative Hadith works. Including Sunan al-Nasai, al-Bazar and al Mustadrak. In his notes on al-Mustadrak Imam al-Dhahabi agreed that the narration (3576) is Sahih. The narration in Ahmad has the narrators of Muslim in the chain. Imam al-Haythami mentioned something similar for the narration in Bazar.
رَوَاهُ الْبَزَّارُ، وَرِجَالُهُ رِجَالُ الصَّحِيحِ. (مجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد)
(Imam) al-Bazar narrated it. And it has the narrators of al-Sahih. (Imam al-Haythami, Majma al-Zawaid).
What is the difference?
If the angels deliver the Salam to our beloved Prophet ﷺ from anywhere, then why should one give Salam at the blessed grave? Is there a difference. Yes, there is a significant difference between presenting Salam to the blessed prophet ﷺ at the grave and further away.
Firstly our love for the Mubarak Prophet ﷺ dictates that we want to be as close as possible to him ﷺ. Secondly, there is a difference. Since Salam from further away is delivered by the angels. As for Salam at the blessed grave, it is heard by the Prophet ﷺ directly.
أما من صلى عليه عند قبره الشريف فيسمعه كما جاء في حديث. (دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين)
As for the one who sends blessings upon him ﷺ at his honorable grave, he hears it (directly), as stated in Hadith. (Imam Ibn Ilan, Sharh Riyad al-Saliheen).
What is Salam?
Salam refers to greetings or salutations. The Holy Quran has encouraged Muslims to send blessings (Salah) and salutations (Salam) to the beloved Prophet ﷺ. With regards to the Hadith above, some speak about the meaning of Salam in it. Is it referring to direct Salam or Salam in the context of prayer to Allah Most High?
Direct Salam would be to say: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللهِ Peace be upon you O Messenger of Allah. In the context of prayer would be to say: اللهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ O Allah send peace and blessings upon the Prophet. The Hadith is open to both. The slightly more controversial of the two would be the first. However, Imam al-Qurtubi mentioned that in his Tafseer:
وَرَوَى النَّسَائِيُّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَلَائِكَةً سَيَّاحِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ يُبَلِّغُونِي مِنْ أُمَّتِي السَّلَامَ. قَالَ القشيري والتسليم قولك: سلام عليك. (تفسير القرطبي)
Imam al-Nasai narrated from (Sayidina) Abdullah (bin Masood) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Indeed, Allah (Most High) has angels who travel the Earth conveying to me the Salam of my Ummah. Al-Qushayri said, Tasleem is your saying: Salam Aleyk. (Imam al-Qurtubi, al-Jami li Ahkam al-Quran).
Conclusion
It is correct that angels deliver our Salam to the Prophet ﷺ irrespective of where we are. Therefore, there is no need to ask people who are going to Madinah Sharif to deliver your Salam. However, that does not mean it is wrong or sinful to ask people who are travelling to Madinah Sharif to present one’s Salam to the beloved Prophet ﷺ. Rather, the scholars of Fiqh have explained how to convey the Salam of others at the Mubarak grave. Thus, it is permitted. Although it is not necessary.
And Allah Most High Knows Best.
–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (23.04.24)
