Wa Alaikum Salaam Wa Rahmatullahi Barakatuh Meaning and Arabic Text

Wa alaikum salaam is a standard response to the As-salamu alaykum, Islamic greeting. The greetings are intentional communications to acknowledge someone’s presence or to make someone feel welcomed.

In this article we will learn the meaning of waalaikumsalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh, Arabic text, and pronounciation.

Walaikum Assalam wa Rahmatullahi Barakatuh in Arabic Text

In Arabic, walaikum Assalam wa Rahmatullahi Barakatuh is written as:

وَعَلَيْكُمُ ٱلسَّلَامُ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّٰهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

Wa Alaikum Salaam Rahmatullahi Barakatuh Meaning In English

Wa alaikum assalam rahmatullahi barakatuh means and unto you be peace and the mercy and Blessings of Allah.

There are three versions of this greeting response, from the shorter one to the longer. These are:

Wa ‘alaykum al-salaam

وعليكم السلام

Meaning: And unto you peace

Wa alaykumu s-salam wa rahmatullah

وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله

Meaning: May the peace and mercy of Allah be with you too.

Wa alaykumu s-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته

Meaning: May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be with you too”.

• Waalaikumussalam: “Peace be upon you.”
• Waalaikumsalam Warahmatullahi: “Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy.”
• Waalaikumsalam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh: “Peace be upon you, Allah’s mercy, and blessings.”

• Wa Alaikum Salaam: وَعَلَيْكُمُ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Waalaikumsalam Warahmatullahi: وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامُ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ
• Waalaikumsalam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh: وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامُ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

Walaikum Assalam Rahmatullahi Barakatuh Pronunciation

The correct pronunciation of this Islamic term is seen in the video below.

Walaikum Assalam Rahmatullahi Barakatuh Image

Here are beautiful images of waalaikumsalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Commentary On Wa Alaikum Salaam

The important point is that you should greet those present when you enter a house by saying: As- Salam Alaykum.’ It is mandatory for them to respond to the greeting.

Allah, The Mighty and Sublime, ordered that when we are greeted with a greeting, we should greet in return with that which is better than it or we return it, that is, we return it equally.

For example, if someone said to you:

• As Salam Alaykum – Peace be onto you,’ then respond with: Wa Alaykum As-Salam – unto you be peace.’ Do not reduce it.
• When one says: As-Salam alaikum wa rahmatullah – peace be unto you and also the mercy of Allah,’ then say: Wa alaikum As-Salam wa rahmatullah – unto you be peace and the mercy of Allah.’
• When he says: As-Salam alaika wa rahmatullah wa barakatu – peace be unto you and the mercy and blessing of Allah,’ then say: Wa Alaikum As-Salam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu – unto you be peace and the mercy and Blessings of Allah.’

It is compulsory for you to say this because Allah – the most High – said:“Or return it equally.”

When he says: As-Salam Alaykum – (meaning: unto you be peace.)’ and you respond saying: ‘Wa Alayka As-Salam wa rahmatullah – unto you be peace and the mercy of Allah’ then this is better than the first (that is, his greeting) and more virtuous, but it is not obligatory.

That which is mandatory is to respond in like terms.

His statement, Glorified is He:“With what is better than it.”It encompasses what is better in form, number and manner.

For example, if he said: As-Salam Alayka – (meaning: peace be unto you),’ and you responded saying: ‘Ahlan wa marhaban bi Abi fulan, HayyakAllah wa bayyaka tafaddal (meaning; Welcome! Welcome! So and so, may Allah enliven you and may Allah provide you a beautiful abode. Please, do come on in.)’

This is not sufficient, even if you said it a thousand times. It is of no benefit and you would be a sinner because you have not greeted with that which is better or same.

When he said: As-Salam Alaika – peace be unto you,’ he had supplicated for safety for you and greeted you at the same time.

So, when you say: ‘Ahlan wa marhaban (meaning: Welcome! Welcome!) This is mere greeting without supplication.

So, you must necessarily utter one which is better than it in type and better than it in number or (at least) same.

If he said: As-Salam Alaykum wa rahmatullah – (meaning: Peace be unto you and the mercy of Allah,)’ and you respond saying: Alayka As-Salam- (meaning: peace be unto you),’ this is not permissible because you did not return the greeting with that which is better or equal to it.

You must necessarily respond as he has greeted you (or with that which is better than it).

So also is responding in a better manner. If he greets you with a clear and loud voice, you should not respond to him with your nose.

Likewise, if he turns to you to greet, you should not respond to him while turning away from him. This is also deficient. You have not returned the greeting equally nor with a better one.

The apparent meaning of this noble verse is that if one of the disbelievers were to greet you by saying: ‘As-Salam alayka – peace be unto you,’ with clear wordings, it is not blameworthy to reply: ‘Wa alayka As-Salam – and unto you be peace,’ as you have only responded in like manner.

As for the statement of the Prophet SAW. ‘When the people of the Book great you, then should respond saying: ‘Wa alayka – (meaning: and unto you (or same to you)).

That is, do not say: ‘Wa alaikum As-Salam – (and unto you be peace).’ He SAW explained the reason for this in the same hadeeth.

He SAW said: ‘Verily, the Jews when they greet, they say: ‘As saamu alaikum – (Death be upon you),’ that is, they pray for death for you.

So, the Messenger of Allah SAW said: ‘So say: “and unto you.” That is, upon you too be death.

It is understood from this hadeeth that when they say: ‘As-Salam alaykum – peace be onto you,’ then we should respond by saying: ‘Wa alaikum Salam – And unto you be peace!

There is no problem in this because Allah – the most High – said:

“When you are greeted with a greeting greet in return with what is better than it or (at least) return it equally.”

Allah alone grants success.

One should offer the greeting in plural form when addressing a group by saying: ‘As-Salam alaykum.’

However, if there is only one person, one should say: As-Salam alaika (peace be upon you).’ If he adds: ‘wa rahmatullah (and the mercy of Allah),’this is better.

If he goes further to add: ‘wa barakatuhu (and Blessing of Allah) then this is best, because each phrase earns him additional reward of ten good deeds.

However, if he limits himself to As-Salam alaykum, this is sufficient.

The respondent says: ‘Wa alaykum As-Salam – And upon you be peace.’ This response is sufficient if the initiator did not exceed As- Salam alaykum’.

But if the initiator had said: As-Salam alayka wa rahmatullah’, it is mandatory for the respondent to say: As-Salam alayka wa rahmatullah.’

This is based on the statement of Allah:

“When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally.”

Surah An-Nisa: 86

That is, respond in like. Imam Annawawi also said: ‘It is recommended to say, ‘Wa alaykum…’ thereby adding ‘Wa – the conjunction, ‘and’.

This is good because doing so makes it clear that the response is connected to the original statement of the one who initiated the greeting.

However, there is no problem with omitting the conduction because prophet Ibrahim did not use it in his response to the greeting of the angels:

“And (they) said: “Salam (peace be upon you).’ He answered: ‘Salam (peace be upon you).’

Surah Adh-Dhariyat: 25

He did not use it. Thus, it is good to use it but not blameworthy if omitted.

Also, if a person coveys a greeting from a third party to one, it is Sunnah for one to say: ‘Alayhi As-Salam – upon him be peace.’

If one says: ‘Alaika wa alayhi As-Salam – upon you and him be peace,’ or ‘Alayhi wa alayka As-Salam – upon him and you be peace,’ this is better.

This is because the second party has been kind enough to deliver the message. Hence, one should also supplicate for him.

So, if a person tells another to convey greetings on his behalf to a third person, and he does that, the recipient should say in response: Alayhi wa alayka As-Salam – upon him and you be peace,’ or limits it to: Alayhi As-Salam – upon him be peace.’

This is because the Prophet SAW once conveyed the greeting of Jibrael to A’aishah and she responded: Alayhi As-Salam – upon him be peace.’

This shows that when someone conveys greetings on behalf of another person to you, you should respond: Alaihi As-Salam – upon him be peace.’

However, is it obligatory to convey such greeting if someone were to tell you: ‘You should greet so and so on my behalf’?

The scholars explained that it becomes obligatory for you if you promise to deliver the message. This is because Allah – the most High – said:

“Verily, Allah commands that you should render back the truststo those to whom they are due.”

Surah An-Nisa: 58

Thus, you have taken on the responsibility.

Adopted from Explanation Of Riyadus Saliheen By Ibn Uthaimeen.