What is the meaning of salâ and its place in religion?

On certain special days, or to announce an upcoming funeral prayer, the salâ (salawât) is recited in mosques before the adhān in the following form: “es-salâtu ve’s-selâmu aleyke ya resûlallah, es-salâtu ve’s-selâmu aleyke ya habîballah, es-salâtu ve’s-selâmu aleyke ya seyyide’l-evvelîne ve’l-âhirîn, ve selâmun ale’l-murselîn, ve’l-hamdu lillahi Rabbi’l-âlemîn”. This means: “Peace and blessings (Allah’s mercy and peace) be upon you, O Messenger of Allah. Peace and blessings be upon you, O beloved servant of Allah. Peace and blessings be upon you, O best of all people past and future! Peace and blessings be upon all the prophets. Praise (gratitude and thanks) is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.”

The salâ is a greeting and praise for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Although the Qur’an and hadiths recommend sending blessings and peace upon the Prophet in various situations (al-Ahzâb, 33/56; Tirmidhī, Da‘awāt, 65 [3476-3477]; Abū Dāwūd, Tafrī‘u abwābi’l-witr, 23 [1481]), the salâ was not recited in mosques during the Prophet’s era or in the early periods. Nevertheless, based on examples in the Qur’an and Sunnah of sending blessings upon the Prophet and other prophets, many different forms of the salâ have become customary in our tradition.

In conclusion, reciting the salâ to remind people of religiously significant days and nights, or to announce a death and an upcoming funeral prayer, can be considered a commendable custom and, in this respect, it can be said that there is no religious objection to it.

Source: T.C. Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, Din İşleri Yüksek Kurulu