Saying "Peace Be Upon Him" for Someone Other Than the Prophet ﷺ
Answered by Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Bāz
The Question
While reading the book ʿIqd al-Durar fī Akhbār al-Muntaẓar, I came across some narrations reported from ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib written like this: "On the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (ʿalayhis-salām), who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: A man from the people of my household will come forth under nine banners…" What is the ruling on using this expression, that is "peace be upon him" (ʿalayhi al-salām) or something like it, for someone other than the Messenger ﷺ?
The Answer
ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him) should not be singled out with this expression. What is prescribed is to say about him, and about the other Companions, “may Allah be pleased with him” (raḍiya llāhu ʿanhu) or “may Allah have mercy on them” (raḥimahumu llāh), since there is no evidence for singling him out with “peace be upon him” (ʿalayhis-salām). The same applies to what some people say, “may Allah honour his face” (karrama Allāhu wajhah); there is no evidence for it and no reason to single him out with it. It is better to treat him as the other Rightly-Guided Caliphs are treated, and not to distinguish him with any expression, unsupported by evidence, that is not used for them.
Source: Majmūʿ Fatāwā wa Maqālāt of Shaykh Ibn Bāz (6/501).