Chapter 8
Manners of Greeting with Salaam
48984: Greeting the Shi'ah first
Question:
What is the ruling on greeting a Shi'i first with
salaam? Especially since I mix with them a great deal and they
do not proclaim their beliefs openly or slander (the
Sahaabah) etc.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
What we say about interacting with the Shi'ah
depends on the situation. The innovated beliefs of the Shi'ah
vary. If it is something that does not put them beyond the
pale of Islam, but is rather regarded as drifting away from
the right path, such as their claiming to be devoted to Ahl
al-Bayt (the family of the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him)), then it is permissible to greet
them first, because they are Muslims who have committed
acts of innovation and sin that do not put them beyond
the pale of Islam, and we have to advise them and direct
them towards the Sunnah and the truth, and warn them
against innovation and sin. If they follow right guidance
and accept advice, then praise be to Allaah, for this is
what we want. But if they persist in following innovation,
then they should be forsaken until they repent to Allaah
and give up their innovations and evil ways, because this is
a kind of punishment for them. If something good can
be achieved by means of this forsaking, or something
bad warded off, then it is prescribed in sharee'ah, but if
this forsaking will result in something that will increase
the evil caused by their innovations, then it is not prescribed.
If you think that not forsaking them will serve a
greater interest and that mixing with them and advising them
is more useful in opening their hearts to true religion,
then there is nothing wrong with not forsaking them,
because the aim behind forsaking them is to direct them to
the right way and to make them feel that we do not
approve of their ways, so that they may come back to true Islam.
If forsaking them will harm the Muslims' interests
and make them cling more firmly to their false ways and
put them off the truth, then it is better not to do that, just
as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) did not forsake `Abd-Allaah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool,
the leader of the hypocrites, because not forsaking him
was more in the interests of the Muslims.
But if their bid'ah constitutes kufr, such as cursing
the Sahaabah and exaggerating about `Ali and Faatimah
and al-Hasan and al-Husayn (may Allaah be pleased
with them), and they pray to them and seek their help and
ask them for support and so on, or their belief that they
have knowledge of the unseen etc, which means that they
are beyond the pale of Islam, then in this case it is
not permissible to greet them first or to befriend them or
to eat meat slaughtered by them. Rather we must hate
them and disavow ourselves of them, until they believe
in Allaah alone, because in this case they are kaafirs
and apostates. See Majmoo' Fataawa Shaykh
al-Islam, 28/216-217; Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn
Baaz, 4/262-263
It should be noted here that it is not permissible to greet
a kaafir first in general terms, such as saying Ahlan
wa sahlan (welcome) and so on, because that
involves honouring them and venerating them, and the Muslim
is higher in status before Allaah, so we should not
greet them first. But if they say that to us then we may
greet them in the same manner as they greeted us, because
Islam is the religion of justice that came to give each person
his rights.
Al-Majmoo' al-Thameen min Fataawa Ibn
`Uthaymeen, 1/48
See also question no. 10843
And Allaah is the source of strength.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable 
48966: Greeting a kaafir first
Question:
Is it permissible for a Muslim to great a non-Muslim first?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on
him) was asked about the ruling on greeting non-Muslims.
He replied as follows:
Greeting a non-Muslim first is haraam and is
not permitted, because the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "Do not initiate the
greeting with the Jews and Christians, and if you meet them in
the street push them towards the narrowest part of it." But
if they greet us we have to respond to them, because of
the general meaning of the verse in which Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in
return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally"
[al-Nisa' 4:86]
The Jews used to greet the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) by saying, "Al-saam `alaykum
ya Muhammad (Death be upon you, O Muhammad)," praying that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) would die. So the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The
Jews say `al-saam `alaykum (death be upon you),' so if
they greet you, then say, `Wa `alaykum (and also upon you).'"
If a non-Muslim greets a Muslim by saying
"al-saamu `alaykum," then we should respond by saying
"wa `alaykum (and also upon you)." The fact that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said
"wa `alaykum" indicates that if they were saying
"al-salaamu `alaykum (peace be upon you)," then peace will also
be upon them, i.e., whatever they say to us, we say to
them. Hence some of the scholars said that if a Jew,
Christian or other non-Muslim clearly says "al-salaamu
`alaykum," it is permissible for us to say " `alaykum al-salaam
(upon you be peace)."
Similarly it is not permissible to initiate a greeting
such as Ahlan wa sahlan (welcome) and the like, because
that is a kind of honouring them. But if they say
something like that to us, then we should say something similar
to them, because the greeting should be returned in
like manner and each person should be given his due. It
is well known that the Muslims are higher in status
before Allaah, so they should not humiliate themselves in
front of non-Muslims by greeting them first.
So, in conclusion, it is not permissible for us to greet
non-Muslims first, because the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade that, and because this is
a humiliation for the Muslim when he starts to honour
a non-Muslim. The Muslim is higher in status before
Allaah, so he should not humiliate himself in this manner. But
if we are greeted then we should return the greeting
in similar terms.
Similarly it is not permissible for us to greet them
first with words such as Ahlan wa sahlan
(welcome), Marhaban (hello) and so on, because that is a kind
of honouring them, so it is like initiating the greeting
of salaams with them.
Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 3/33.
If there is a need to greet a kaafir first, there is no sin
in that, but it should be something other than the greeting
of salaam, such as saying Ahlan wa sahlan or How are
you, etc. In that case the greeting is for a reason, not to
honour him.
See al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 25/168.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said
in Zaad al-Ma'aad (2/424), concerning greeting a
kaafir first:
A group of scholars said: It is permissible to greet
him first if that serves a purpose, or for fear of his harm,
or because of blood ties, or for a reason that requires
that. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
39258: Ruling on greeting women with salaam and returning their greeting
Question:
Is it permissible for me to return the salaams of a
woman who is a stranger to me, i.e., a non-mahram?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Allaah has commanded us to spread the greeting
of salaam, and has enjoined us to return the greeting to
all Muslims. He has made the greeting of salaam one of
the things that spread love among the believers.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
" When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in
return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it
equally. Certainly, Allaah is Ever a Careful Account Taker of
all things " [al-Nisa'4:86]
And it was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: "You will not enter Paradise until
you (truly) believe, and you will not (truly) believe until
you love one another. Shall I not tell you something which,
if you do it, you will love one another? Spread the
greeting of salaam amongst yourselves."
Narrated by Muslim, 54.
In the answer to question no. 4596, there is a
lengthy discussion on the importance of greeting with salaam
and returning the greeting.
Secondly:
The command to spread the greeting of salaam is
general and applies to all the believers. It includes men
greeting men and women greeting women, and a man greeting
his female mahrams. All of them are enjoined to initiate
the greeting of salaam, and the other is obliged to return
the greeting.
But there is a special ruling that applies to a man
greeting a non-mahram woman, because of the fitnah
(temptation) that may result from that in some cases.
Thirdly:
There is nothing wrong with a man greeting a
non-mahram woman with salaam, without shaking hands with her,
if she is elderly, but he should not greet a young
woman with salaams when there is no guarantee that there
will be no fitnah (temptation). This is what is indicated by
the comments of the scholars, may Allaah have mercy
on them.
Imam Maalik was asked: Can a woman be greeted
with salaam? He said: With regard to the elderly woman, I
do not regard that as makrooh, but with regard to the
young woman, I do not like that.
Al-Zarqaani explained the reason why Maalik did not
like that, in his commentary on al-Muwatta': Because of
the fear of fitnah when he hears her returning the greeting.
In al-Adaab al-Shar'iyyah (1/370) it says: Ibn
Muflih mentioned that Ibn Mansoor said to Imam Ahmad:
(What about) greeting women with salaam? He said: If
the woman is old there is nothing wrong with it.
Saalih (the son of Imam Ahmad) said: I asked my
father about greeting women with salaam. He said: With
regard to old women, there is nothing wrong with it, but
with regard to young women, they should not be prompted
to speak by being made to return the salaam.
Al-Nawawi said in his book al-Adhkaar (p. 407):
Our companions said: Women greeting women is like
men greeting to men. But when it comes to women
greeting men, if the woman is the man's wife, or his concubine,
or one of his mahrams, then it is like him speaking to
another man; it is mustahabb for either of them to initiate
the greeting of salaam and the other is obliged to return
the greeting. But if the woman is a stranger (non-mahram),
if she is beautiful and there is the fear that he may be
tempted by her, then the man should not greet her with
salaam, and if he does then it is not permissible for her to
reply; she should not initiate the greeting of salaam either,
and if she does, she does not deserve a response. If he
responds then this is makrooh.
If she is an old woman and he will not be tempted by
her, then it is permissible for her to greet the man with
salaam and for the man to return her salaams.
If there is a group of women then a man may greet
them with salaam, or if there is a group of men, they may
greet a woman with salaam, so long as there there is no
fear that any of the parties may be tempted.
Abu Dawood (5204) narrated that Asma' the daughter
of Yazeed said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) passed by us woman and greeted us
with salaam." Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
Abi Dawood.
And al-Bukhaari (6248) narrated that Sahl ibn Sa'd
said: "There was an old woman of our acquaintance who
would send someone to Budaa'ah (a garden of date-palms
in Madeenah). She would take the roots of silq (a kind
of vegetable) and put them in a cooking pot with
some powdered barley. After we had prayed Jumu'ah, we
would go and greet her, then she should offer (that food) to us."
Al-Haafiz said in al-Fath:
Concerning the permissibility of men greeting
women with salaam and women greeting men: what is meant
by its being permitted is when there is no fear of fitnah.
Al-Haleemi was quoted as saying: Because the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was
infallible and protected from fitnah. Whoever is confident that
he will be safe from temptation may greet (women)
with salaam, otherwise it is safer to keep silent.
And al-Muhallab is quoted as saying: It is
permissible for men to greet women with salaam and for women
to greet men, if there is no fear of fitnah.
And Allaah knows best.
See Ahkaam al-'Awrah wa'l-Nazar by Musaa'id ibn Qaasim al-Faalih.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
43154: Returning greetings to kaafirs falls into
three Islam & Muslims
Question:
If a kaafir greets a Muslim, should he return his
greeting? If he holds out his hand to shake hands, what is the
ruling? And what is the ruling on serving him by giving him
tea when he is sitting in a chair?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
If a kaafir greets a Muslim in a clear manner, and
says, "Al-salaamu `alaykum (peace be upon you)," then
one should say, "Wa `alayka al-salaam (and upon you
be peace)," because Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in
return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally"
[al-Nisa' 4:86]
But if it is not clear, one should just say, "Wa `alayk
(and also upon you)."
Similarly if his greeting is clear and he says,
"Al-saam `alaykum (may death be upon you)," then one should
say, "Wa `alayk (and also upon you)."
The three Islam & Muslims are as follows:
1 _ If he clearly says, "Al-saam `alaykum (may death
be upon you)," then one should reply, "Wa `alaykum
(and also upon you)."
2 _ If there is some doubt as to whether he said
"al-saam (death)" or "al-salaam (peace)," then one should
reply, "Wa `alaykum (and also upon you)."
3 _ If he clearly says, "Al-salaamu `alaykum (peace
be upon you)," then one should reply, "Wa `alaykum
al-salaam (and upon you be peace)," because Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in
return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally"
[al-Nisa' 4:86]
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
If the listener is certain that what he said to him was
"Al-salaamu `alaykum (peace be upon you), and he does
not have any doubts about that, should he say, "Wa
`alayka al-salaam (and upon you be peace)" or should he limit
it to "wa `alayk (and also upon you)." What is indicated
by the evidence and the basic principles of sharee'ah is
that one should respond, "Wa `alayka al-salaam (and
upon you be peace)", because this comes under the heading
of fairness and justice, and Allaah enjoins justice
and kindness. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in
return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally"
[al-Nisa' 4:86]
So He recommends kindness and enjoins justice.
This does not contradict any of the ahaadeeth which speak
of this issue, because the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) only enjoined limiting the
response to "Wa `alaykum" for the reason mentioned above,
which is that they used to play with the words in their
greeting. Then Ibn al-Qayyim said: Even though the
general meaning of the verse is applicable, this refers to the
usual words of greeting, not when they are playing with
the words. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And when they come to you, they greet you with
a greeting wherewith Allaah greets you not, and say
within themselves: `Why should Allaah punish us not for
what we say?'"
[al-Mujaadilah 58:8]
If this reason does not apply, and the kitaabi (Christian
or Jew) says, `Al-salaamu `alaykum wa
rahmat-Allaah (peace be upon you and the mercy of Allaah)," then it
is only fair and just to respond in a similar manner.
Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah, 200/1
In Saheeh al-Bukhaari it is narrated from Ibn `Umar
(may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When the
Jews greet you, they say, `Al-saam `alaykum (death be
upon you),' so say, `Wa `alayk (and also upon you)."
If he holds out his hand to shake hands with you,
then hold out your hand too, but do not initiate the handshake.
With regard to serving a kaafir by giving him tea
when he is sitting in a chair, this is makrooh, but there is
nothing wrong with putting the cup on the table.
From Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), 3/36. (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
20818: If there is no one in the house should he still
say salaam?
Question:
I have heard from many poeple here that when you
enter your home you should say SALAAM even if no one is
at home (just say it to yourself). Is is right? is so what is
the DALEEL for that?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Saying salaam when entering the house is
mustahabb, not obligatory, whether there is anyone in the house
or not.
Abu Dawood (5096) narrated that Abu Maalik
al-Ash'ari said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "When a man enters his
house, let him say, `Allaahumma inni as'aluka khayr
al-mawlaj wa khayr al-makhraj. Bismillaah walajna wa
Bismillaah kharajna wa `ala Allaahi rabbina tawakalna
(O Allaah, I ask You for the best entering and the best exiting. In
the name of Allaah we enter and in the name of Allaah
we leave, and in Allaah our Lord we put our trust),' then
he should say salaam to his family."
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah
al-Saheehah, 225.
Al-Tirmidhi (2698) narrated that Anas ibn Maalik
said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said to me, `O my son, when you
enter upon your family and say salaam, it will be a blessing
for you and the members of your household. Al-Albaani
said in Takhreej al-Mishkaat (4652): this hadeeth is
hasan when all its isnaads are taken into account.
These two hadeeth show that it is mustahabb for a man
to greet his family with salaam when he enters his house.
With regard to it being mustahabb for a man to say
salaam to himself when entering a house where there is no
one, the scholars quoted evidence for that.
1 _ The general meaning of the verse (interpretation
of the meaning):
"But when you enter the houses, greet one another
with a greeting from Allaah (i.e. say: AsSalaamu `Alaykum
— peace be on you), blessed and good"[al-Noor
24:61]
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in
his book al-Adhkaar (p. 49):
It is mustahabb to say Bismillaah (in the name of
Allaah) and to remember Allaah a great deal, and to say
salaam, whether there is any human being in the house or
not, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"But when you enter the houses, greet one another
with a greeting from Allaah (i.e. say: AsSalaamu `Alaykum
— peace be on you), blessed and
good" [al-Noor 24:61]
Al-Haafiz said:
It comes under the general meaning of spreading
salaam, and saying salaam to oneself when entering a place
where there is no one, because Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"But when you enter the houses, greet one another
with a greeting from Allaah (i.e. say: AsSalaamu `Alaykum
— peace be on you)…" [al-Noor
24:61]
Some mufassireen _ such as Ibn Jareer _ interpreted
the aayah as meaning "greet one another" [as in the
translation of the meaning quoted here]. This is like the verse in
which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one
another)"[al-Nisa' 4:29]
Al-Qurtubi said: The more correct view is to say that
this is general and applies to everyone who enters a house.
If there is a Muslim person in the house he should say
"Al-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmat-Allaahi wa
barakaatuhu (peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allaah, and
His blessings)." If there is no one there, he should say,
"Al-salaamu `alayna wa `ala `ibaad-Illaah
il-saaliheen (peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allaah)."
If there is someone in the house who is not a Muslim,
he should say, "Al-salaam `ala man ittaba'a
al-huda (peace be upon those who follow true guidance)" or
"Al-salaamu `alayna wa `ala `ibaad-Illaah
il-saaliheen (peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allaah)."
2 _ That is narrated from some of the Sahaabah.
Al-Bukhaari narrated in al-Adab
al-Mufrad (1055) that Ibn `Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
"When you enter an uninhabited house, say
"Al-salaamu `alayna wa `ala `ibaad-Illaah
il-saaliheen (peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allaah)."
Al-Haafiz said: Its isnaad is hasan; and it was classed
as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Adab
al-Mufrad, 806.
Mujaahid said: When you enter the mosque, say,
"Al-salaam `ala Rasool-Illaah (Peace be upon the
Messenger of Allaah)," and when you enter upon your family,
greet them with salaam, and when you enter a house in
which there is no one, say "Al-salaamu `alayna wa `ala
`ibaad-Illaah il-saaliheen (peace be upon us and upon
the righteous slaves of Allaah)."
Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 3/306.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
22812: Adding the word "ta'aala" to the greeting of salaam
Question:
I am accustomed to greeting people by saying
"Al-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmat-Allaah ta'aala wa
barakaatuhu (Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allaah, may He
be exalted, and His blessings)." Sometimes when I
climb the minbar to deliver the Friday khutbah I greet the
people in the same manner. One of them asked me whether
I have any evidence for adding the word ta'aala (may
He be exalted). I cannot find any evidence but I think I
heard it from some of the virtuous scholars.
Is it permissible to add this word to the greeting or not?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The word ta'aala is not narrated in the hadeeth. As this
is the case, the Muslim should not say it, and he
should limit himself to what was narrated in the Sunnah,
which is to say "Al-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmat-Allaah
wa barakaatuhu (Peace be upon you, and the mercy of
Allaah and His blessings)." The word
ta'aala is not part of the phrase that was narrated, and if a person keeps saying
it then it becomes a habit or a "sunnah", but it was
not narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him).
But if a person does it sometimes, then there is
nothing wrong with that.
Shaykh Khaalid al-Mushayqih (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
31064: Ruling on greeting with a wave of the hand
Question:
What is the ruling on greeting with a wave of the hand?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not permissible to greet with a wave of the
hand, rather the Sunnah is to greet and return the greeting
with words. Greeting with a wave of the hand is
not permissible, because it is an imitation of some of
the kuffaar who do that, and because it is contrary to what
is prescribed by Allaah. But if a person gestures to the
one whom he is greeting to indicate that he is saying
salaam, because he is far away, whilst also uttering the words
of the greeting, there is nothing wrong with that,
because there is evidence to that effect. Similarly, if the
person who is greeted is busy praying, he may respond with
a gesture, as was narrated in the saheeh Sunnah of
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah li'l-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 6/352. (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
12566: Ruling on initiating the salaam when speaking
on the telephone
Question:
What is the ruling on saying salaam to a person to
whom you are speaking on the phone, when you do not
know whether he is a Muslim or not?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. The ruling is the same as
when meeting him in person. If you know that he is a
kaafir, then do not initiate the greeting. But if you do not
know, there is nothing wrong with that.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah li'l-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 6/286. (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
21183: Shaking hands with a non-maham woman
Question:
I would like a detailed answer on the ruling on a
man shaking hands with a woman, and the views of the
four imams and the majority of scholars on that.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
It is not permissible for a man who believes in Allaah
and His Messenger to put his hand in the hand of a
women who is not permissible for him or who is not one of
his mahrams. Whoever does that has wronged himself
(i.e., sinned).
It was narrated that Ma'qil ibn Yassaar said: the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "For one of you to be stabbed in the head with
an iron needle is better for him than that he should touch
a woman who is not permissible for him."
Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, 486. Shaykh
al-Albaani said in Saheeh al-Jaami', 5045, that this
hadeeth is saheeh.
This hadeeth alone is sufficient to deter and to instill
the obedience required of us by Allaah, because it
implies that touching women may lead to temptation
and immorality.
It was narrated that `Aa'ishah the wife of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"When the believing women migrated to the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), they
would be tested in accordance with the words of
Allaah (interpretation of the meaning):
`O Prophet! When believing women come to you to
give you the Bay`ah (pledge), that they will not
associate anything in worship with Allaah, that they will not
steal, that they will not commit illegal sexual intercourse'
[al-Mumtahanah 60:12]
`Aa'ishah said: Whoever among the believing
women agreed to that had passed the test, and when the
women agreed to that, the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to them: "Go,
for you have given your oath of allegiance.' No, by
Allaah, the hand of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) never touched the hand of
any woman, rather they would give their oath of
allegiance with words only." And `Aa'ishah said: "By Allaah,
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) only took the oath of allegiance from
the women in the manner prescribed by Allaah, and the
hand of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) never touched the hand of any
woman. When he had taken their oath of allegiance he would
say, `I have accepted your oath of allegiance verbally.'"
(narrated by Muslim, 1866)
It was narrated from `Urwah that `Aa'ishah told him
about the women's oath of allegiance: "The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never
touched any woman with his hand. He would explain to the
woman what the oath of allegiance implied, and when
she accepted, he would say `Go, for you have given your
oath of allegiance.'"
Narrated by Muslim, 1866
This infallible one, the best of mankind, the leader of
the sons of Adam on the Day of Resurrection, did not
touch women. This is despite the fact that the oath of
allegiance was originally given by hand. So how about men
other than the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him)?
It was narrated that Umaymah the daughter of
Raqeeqah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said, "I do not shake hands
with women."
Narrated by al-Nasaa'i (4181) and Ibn Maajah,
2874; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
al-Jaami', 2513.
Secondly:
It is not permissible to shake hands even with a barrier
in between, such as shaking hands from beneath a
garment and the like. The hadeeth that was narrated allowing
that is da'eef (weak).
It was narrated from Ma'qal ibn Yassaar that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
shake hands with women from beneath a garment."
Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat, 2855.
Al-Haythami said:
This was narrated by al-Tabaraani in
al-Kabeer and al-Awsat. Its isnaad includes `Ataab ibn Harb, who is
da'eef (weak).
Majma' al-Zawaa'id, 6/39.
Wali al-Deen al-`Iraaqi said:
The words of `Aa'ishah, "He used to accept the
women's oath of allegiance by words only" mean that he did
so without taking their hands or shaking hands with
them. This indicates that the bay'ah of men was accepted
by taking their hands and shaking hands with them, as
well as by words, and this is how it was. What
`Aa'ishah mentioned was the custom.
Some of the mufassireen mentioned that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) called for
a vessel of water and dipped his hand in it, then the
women dipped their hands in it. And some of them said that
he did not shake hands with them from behind a barrier
and had a Qatari cloak over his hand. And it was said
that `Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) shook
hands with them on his behalf. None of these reports are
sound, especially the last one, How could `Umar (may Allaah
be pleased with him) have done something that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who
was ma'soom (infallible), would not do?
Tarh al-Tathreeb, 7/45
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The most correct view is that this (i.e., shaking
hands with women from behind a barrier) is not allowed at
all, because of the general meaning of the hadeeth,
according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said, "I do not shake hands with women;"
and so as to ward off the means that may lead to evil.
(Adapted from Hashiyat Majmoo'at Rasaa'il
fi'l-Hijaab wa'l-Sufoor, p. 69)
The same ruling applies to shaking hands with old
women; this is also haraam because of the general meaning of
the texts on this issue. The reports that say it is
permissible are da'eef (weak).
Al-Zayla'i said:
"As for the report that `Abu Bakr used to shake
hands with old women, it is also ghareeb."
(Nasab al-Raayah, 4/240)
Ibn Hajar said:
I cannot find this hadeeth.
(al-Diraayah fi Takhreej Ahaadeeth
al-Hidaayah, 2/225)
Fourthly:
With regard to the views of the four imams, they are
as follows:
1 _ The Hanafi madhhab:
Ibn Nujaym said:
It is not permissible for a man to touch a woman's face
or hands even if there is no risk of desire because it is
haraam in principle and there is no necessity that would allow it.
Al-Bahr al-Raa'iq, 8/219
2 _ The Maaliki madhhab:
Muhammad ibn Ahmad (`Ulaysh) said:
It is not permissible for a man to touch the face or
hand of a non-mahram woman, and it is not permissible
for him to put his hand on hers without a barrier.
`Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: "The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
never accepted a woman's oath of allegiance by shaking
hands with her; rather he (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) used to accept their oath of allegiance by
words only." According to another report, "His hand
never touched the hand of a woman, rather he would
accept their oath of allegiance by words only."
(Manh al-Jaleel Sharh Mukhtasar Khaleel, 1/223)
3 _ The Shaafa'i madhhab:
Al-Nawawi said:
It is not permissible to touch a woman in any way.
Al-Majmoo', 4/515.
Wali al-Deen al-`Iraaqi said:
This indicates that the hand of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not touch the
hand of any woman apart from his wives and
concubines, whether in the case of accepting the oath of allegiance
or in other cases. If he did not do that despite the fact that
he was infallible and beyond suspicion, then it is even
more essential that others heed this prohibition. It appears
from the texts that he refrained from doing that because it
was haraam for him to do so. The fuqaha' among our companions and others said that it is haraam to touch
a non-mahram woman even if that is not touching parts
of her body that are not `awrah, such as her face. But
they differed with regard to looking when there is no
desire and no fear of fitnah. The prohibition on touching
is stronger than the prohibition on looking, and it is
haraam when there is no necessity that would allow it.
If it is the case of necessity, e.g. medical
treatment, removing a tooth or treating the eyes, etc., if there is
no woman who can do that, then it is permissible for a
non-mahram to do that because it is the case of necessity.
Tarh al-Tathreeb, 7/45, 46
4 _ The Hanbali madhhab
Ibn Muflih said:
Abu `Abd-Allaah _ i.e., Imam Ahmad _ was asked
about a man who shakes hands with a woman. He said, No,
and was emphatic that it is haraam. I said, Should he
shake hands with her from beneath his garment? He said, No.
Shaykh Taqiy al-Deen also favoured the view that it
is prohibited, and gave the reason that touching is
more serious than looking.
AlAdaab al-Shar'iyyah, 2/257
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
23274: The difference between sending salaams on
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
and sending blessings
Question:
Is there any difference on offering between blessing's
and salaams on the prophet?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It is prescribed for the Muslim to pray for peace for
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
and to send salaams upon him, just as it is prescribed to
pray for blessings for him. The evidence that it is
prescribed to send salaams upon the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) is the verse in which Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah sends His Salaah (Graces, Honours,
Blessings, Mercy) on the Prophet (Muhammad), and also His
angels (ask Allaah to bless and forgive him). O you who
believe! Send your Salaah on (ask Allaah to bless)
him (Muhammad), and (you should) greet (salute) him
with the Islamic way of greeting (salutation, i.e.
AsSalaamu `Alaykum)"
[al-Ahzaab 33:56]
It was narrated that `Abd-Allaah said: the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Allaah has angels who travel about the earth,
conveying to me the salaams of my ummah."
(Saheeh Sunan al-Nasaa'i, 1215; al-Silsilat
al-Saheehah, 2853).
It was narrated that `Abd-Allaah said: "When we
prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) we used to say, `Peace be upon Allaah from
His slaves and peace be upon So and so.' The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, `Do not
say "Peace (salaam) be upon Allaah", for Allaah Himself
is al-Salaam. Rather say, "Al-tahiyyaatu Lillaahi
wa'l-salawaatu wa'l-tayyibaat. Al-salaamu `alayka
ayyuha'l-Nabiyyu wa rahmat Allaahi wa barakaatuhu.
Al-salaamu `alayna wa `ala ibaad-illaah
il-saaliheen (All compliments, prayers and pure words are due to
Allaah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of
Allaah and His blessings. Peace be on us, and on the
righteous slaves of Allaah)." If you say this it will be for all
the slaves in heaven and between the heavens and the
earth. [Then go on to say] "Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha
ill-Allaah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan `abduhu wa
rasooluhu (I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah and
I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger)." Then choose whichever du'aa' you like
and recite it.'"
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 835)
It was narrated that Faatimah, the daughter of
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: "When the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered the
mosque, he would say, `Bismillaah wa'l-salaam `ala
Rasool-illaah. Allaahumma ighfir li dhunoobi waftah li
abwaab rahmatika (In the name of Allaah, and peace be upon
the Messenger of Allaah. O Allaah, forgive me my sins
and open to me the gates of Your Mercy).' And when he
exited he would say, Bismillaah wa'l-salaam `ala
Rasool-illaah. Allaahumma ighfir li dhunoobi waftah li abwaab
fadlika (In the name of Allaah, and peace be upon the
Messenger of Allaah. O Allaah, forgive me my sins and open to
me the gates of Your Bounty).'"
(Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah, 625)
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "There is no one who sends salaams upon me, but
Allaah will restore to me my soul so that I may return
his salaams."
(Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, 1795)
It was narrated from `Abd-Allaah ibn Abi Talhah
from his father that the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came one day
with evident signs of happiness on his face, and he said:
"Jibreel (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to
me and said, `Would it not please you, O Muhammad, to
know that no one among your ummah will send blessings
upon you but I will send ten blessings upon him, and no
one among your ummah will send salaams upon you but
I will send ten salaams upon him." (Saheeh Sunan
al-Nasaa'i, 1228)
Sending salaams upon the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) is one of the rights that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has over
his ummah. The Muslim is commanded to do this either
in general word or in the specific phrases narrated in
the reports, such as sending salaam on him in the
Tashahhud, and when entering or leaving the mosque. The
command to send salaams upon him (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) even in his absence is one of the
unique blessings that Allaah has bestowed upon him alone,
which he does not share with anyone else, for it is not
prescribed to send salaams upon any specific person in his
absence apart from him (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him). Another of his unique privileges is that the
salaams of his ummah are conveyed to him, so a person may
attain the virtue of sending salaams upon the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and it reaching
him even if he did not have the opportunity to meet him
during his lifetime and even if a person is not able to go to
his grave after he died.
With regard to praying for blessing for the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), this is
also prescribed in Islam. One of the reports that prove that
it is prescribed is the saheeh report from Abu
Mas'ood al_Ansaari who said: "The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to us
when we were sitting with Sa'd ibn `Ubaadah, and Basheer
ibn Sa'd said to him: `Allaah has commanded us to
send blessings upon you, O Messenger of Allaah. How
should we send blessings upon you?' The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
remained silent until we wished that he had not asked him.
Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Say: Allaahumma salli
`ala Muhammad wa `ala aali Muhammad kamaa salayta
`ala aali Ibraaheem. Wa baarik `ala Muhammad wa `ala
aali Muhammad kama baarakta `ala aali Ibraaheem
fi'l-`aalameen innaka hameedun majeed (O Allaah,
send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family
of Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon the family
of Ibraaheem, and bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You blessed the family of Ibraheem
among the nations. Verily You are Most Praiseworthy, Full
of Glory). And the salaam is as you know."
(Narrated by Muslim, 405)
Sending salaams upon the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) may be done by saying
"Al-salaamu `alayka ayyuha'l-Nabiyyu wa rahmat
Allaahi wa barakaatuhu (peace be upon you, O Prophet, and
the mercy of Allaah and His blessings). Or it may take
the form of a du'aa', praying that Allaah may keep him
sound, such as saying Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa
sallam (may Allaah send blessings and peace upon him [i.e., the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)]. A
person's sending salaam upon the Prophet may be done
by mentioning Allaah's name al-Salaam by way of
seeking the blessing of that name and this name is suited to
the context because you are asking Allaah to keep him
safe and sound, as if one is saying "O Allaah, Whose name
is al-Salaam, keep your Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) safe and sound." When the
word Salaam refers to the name of Allaah, it appears with
the definite article al-, unlike when the word
salaam appears in the context of praying for peace, tranquility
and soundness to be bestowed by Allaah upon His slaves,
in which case it appears without the definite article.
"Because salaam from Him means any amount of salaam, and
any amount of salaam from Him will be sufficient to
make any slave of Allaah have no need of salaam from
anyone else and no need for any greeting from anyone else;
and any salaam from Allaah will be sufficient to grant him
all of his wishes. So the least salaam from Allaah _
and nothing can be described as least when it comes
from Allaah _ will bring the greatest blessings and will
ward off all causes of misery, and will make life good and
will ward off all causes of doom and destruction. Therefore
in this context, when speaking of salaam from Allaah,
there is no need for the definite article."
See Dabaa'i' al-Fawaa'id, 2/143
What is meant by salaam is being free from evil and
faults. So the one who sends salaams upon the Prophet is
praying for him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
in this sense, asking for the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) to be protecte from evil, faults
and shortcomings. As for blessings (barakah), what this
means is steadfastness and stability. Blessing means growth
and increase.
What is meant by praying for blessing for the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is
asking Allaah to bestow good upon him, to make it lasting,
to increase and multiply it.
And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
4975: Responding to a kaafir when he says salaam to
a Muslim
Question:
WHEN A NON-MUSLIM SAYS SALAAM U ALAIKUM(GREETS YOU) HOW ARE
WE SUPPOSED TO RESPOND?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. Muslim reported in his
Saheeh (14/144) from Anas ibn Maalik that the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"When the People of the Book say salaam to you (greet you
by saying al-salaamu alaykum), say `Wa
`alaykum' (and unto you).'" According to another report, he was asked,
"The People of the Book say salaam to us. How should
we respond?" He said, "Say, `Wa
`alaykum.'" According to another report (14/164), he said, "When the Jews
greet you, they say `al-saam `alaykum (death be upon you).
So say ` `alayk (upon you).'" According to another report
he said, "So say, `wa `alayk' (and upon you)." According
to another report (14/146) a group of Jews asked
for permission to enter upon the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and they said,
"Al-saam `alaykum (death be upon you)." `Aa'ishah said,
"Bal `alaykum al-saam wa'l-la'nah (No, death be upon
you and curses)!" The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "O
`Aa'ishah, Allaah loves gentleness in all things." She said, "Did
you not hear what they said?" He said, "I answered,
`Wa `alaykum (and unto you).'" According to another
report, he said, "I answered, `
`alaykum'" _ without the
"waw" (i.e., wa meaning "and"). According to the last
hadeeth (14/148), he said, "Do not initiate the greeting of
salaam with the Jews and Christians, and if you meet one of
them on the road, push him to the narrowest part of it."
All of these reports were narrated in the
Saheeh of Imaam Muslim.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in
his commentary (14/144-145):
The scholars agree that the greeting of the People of
the Book should be returned, if they greet us with
salaam, but we should not say to them, "Wa `alaykum
al-salaam (and upon you be peace)." We should say only "
`alaykum (upon you)" or "wa
`alaykum (and upon you)." Ahaadeeth have been narrated by Muslim both with and without
the "wa" ("And"), but most of them include it. On this
basis, there are two meanings, one of which is the
apparent meaning: if they say " `Alaykum
al-mawt (death be upon you)", then one should say,
"Wa `alaykum (and also on you)" _ meaning that we and you are alike, we are
all going to die. The second meaning is that this is a
waw that is used to start a new idea or phrase, not to connect
it to the previous sentence or to reiterate the same idea.
This implies: and upon you be what you deserve of condemnation. The phrase without the
wa implies: but rather death should be upon you. Al-Qaadi said: some
of the scholars, including Ibn Habeeb al-Maaliki,
preferred to use the phrase without the wa, so that it would
not have the implication that these people are like
the Muslims. Others said that it should be used with the
wa as it appears in the majority of reports. Some of
them said: he should reply " `alaykum
al-silaam (and upon you be stones) _ but this is da'eef (weak). Al-Khattaabi
said: most of the muhadditheen (scholars of hadeeth)
reported it with the wa (wa `alaykum), but Ibn `Uyaynah
reported it without the waw. Al-Khattaabi said: this is what
is correct, because if the phrase is used without the
waw, this means that what they are saying is
returned specifically and exclusively to them, but if the
waw is used, it implies commonality with them in what they
are saying. This is the view of al-Khattaabi. But the
correct view is that it is permissible either to use the
waw or omit it, as both have been mentioned in saheeh reports,
but including the waw is better, as it appears in most of
the reports. There is nothing wrong with that, because
al-saam means death, which will come to us and to them,
so there is no harm in including the waw. The
scholars differed as to returning the greeting of salaam when
a kaafir initiates it or initiating the greeting. Our opinion
is that it is haraam to initiate the greeting, but we have
to return their greeting by saying "Wa
`alaykum" or just " `alaykum." Our evidence with regard to initiating
the greeting is the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), "Do not initiate the greeting
with the Jews and Christians" and his command to reply
by saying, "Wa `alaykum." What we have mentioned as
our madhhab or point of view is also the opinion of most
of the scholars and the majority of the salaf… It
is permissible to initiate the greeting when addressed to
a group composed of both Muslims and kaafirs, or
one Muslim and a number of kaafirs, but he should intend
the greeting to be directed towards the Muslim(s)
among them, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) greeted an assembly that included a
mixture of Muslims and mushrikeen.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
2291: Is it correct to end a letter with the phrase
"wa'l-salaam"?
Question:
Brothers end their letters to me with "wassalaam",
instead of say "assalaamualaikum"
can you please tell me if this is correct and the
references and their authenticity
You can also put the question on the web page if you so
wish, I need a direct reply since I may not be able to
find the answer on the web page. Jazzakallaah.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. There is nothing wrong with
ending a letter with the phrase
"wa'l-salaam," and it is not a condition that the phrase should be used in full,
because when a written abbreviation is used, what the writer
means is the complete expression. So when a person says
"wa'l-salaam," what he or she means is
"wa'l-salaamu `alaykum." But if the person sending the letter
writes "wa'l-salaamu `alayka" or
"wa'l-salaamu `alaykum" at the end, this is better. Umar ibn al-Khattaab ended
his letter to the qaadi Shurayh with the words
"wa'l-salaamu `alayka" [Sunan
al-Nisaa'i, 5304] and `Umar ibn `Abd al-`Azeez ended his letter to one of his workers in
the same way
[Muwatta' Malik, Kitaab al-jihaad].
Ibn Katheer reported in al-Bidaayah wa'l-Nihaayah
from Ibn `Asaakir that Ziyaad ibn Abi Sufyaan sent Sa'eed
ibn al-`Aas gifts, money and a letter proposing marriage
to his daughter. When the gifts, money and letter
arrived, [Sa'eed] read the letter, shared out the gifts among
the people sitting with him, then wrote a nice, polite
letter back to him in which he said: "In the name of
Allaah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Allaah
says: `Nay! Verily man does transgress all bounds (in disbelief and
evil deeds, etc.), because he considers himself
self-sufficient.'
[al-`Alaq 96:6-7 _ interpretation of the meaning].
Wa'l-salaam."
However, the person sending the letter should greet
the addressee with the complete phrase
("Al-salaamu alaykum") at the beginning of the letter, as has been
the habit of the Muslims from the time of the Prophet
SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) until
the present. And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
26785: Ruling on initiating the greeting of salaam
with Jews and Christians, and how to push them to
the narrowest part of the road
Question:
According to a hadeeth narrated by Imaam Muslim in
his Saheeh from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased
with him), the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "Do not initiate the greeting
of salaam with the Jews and Christians, and if you meet
one of them on the road then let him go to the narrowest
part of it." (Muslim, al-Salaam, 2167). Doesn't doing this
put people off entering Islam?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
You should note that the best of those who call people
to Allaah is the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him), and that the best of those who guide people
to Allaah is the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him). If we know that, then we should be
skeptical about any interpretation of the words of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that does not
make sense or does not seem to be wise. We should realize
that our understanding of the Prophet's words may be
wrong. That does not mean that we should judge the
ahaadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) on the basis of our personal reasoning, because
our reasoning and understanding may be lacking. But
there are general guidelines in sharee'ah to which we may
refer with regard to individual matters.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Do not initiate the greeting of salaam with the
Jews and Christians, and if you meet one of them on the
road then let him go to the narrowest part of it." What
this means is: do not give way to them if you meet them,
so that the way is open for them and you cause restriction
to yourself. Rather, continue on your way and leave
the narrow gap _ if there is a narrow gap _ for them. It
is known that the teaching of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), when he saw a
kaafir, was not to go and crowd him out of the way so that
he would end up against the wall. The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not do this to
the Jews of Madeenah and his Companions did not do
that after their conquests of other regions.
What it means is that just as you do not initiate the
greeting of salaam, you should not make room for them. If
they meet a group of you, do not split up to let them
pass, rather continue on your way and leave them the
narrow space if there is a narrow part of the road. This hadeeth
is not meant to put people off Islam, rather it is
a manifestation of the Muslim's pride and a sign that
he does not humiliate himself for anyone except his Lord.
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Rasaa'il al-Shaykh Ibn
`Uthyameen, part 3, p. 38 (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
11559: Ruling on greeting a non-Muslim teacher
Question:
Is it permissible to greet a non-Muslim teacher in
the classroom or outside?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "Do not initiate the greeting
to the Jews and Christians." (Narrated by Muslim,
Kitaab al-Salaam). The Jews used to pass by the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and say
"Al-saam `alaykum" meaning death. So the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us to say
"Wa `alaykum (and also to you)." (Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-Adaab; Muslim, Kitaab
al-Salaam).
So you should not initiate the greeting, but if he
greets you and initiates the greeting, then say, "Wa
`alaykum." But Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on
him) mentioned in Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah that if we
know for sure that a kaafir has said "Al-salaamu
`alaykum," then we may say, "Wa `alaykum al-salaam."
From Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-`Uthaymeen, Kitaab al-`Ilm, p. 154, 155
(www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
10512: Is it permissible to delay returning salaams
because of enmity?
Question:
There is personal enmity between me and another
person. If he greets me with salaam, is it permissible for me
to respond after he has gone away, or do I have to return
his salaam immediately?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. The Hanafis and Shaafa'is are of
the view that it is obligatory to return the salaams immediately.
Ibn `Aabideen said: delaying returning the salaam for
no valid reason is makrooh tahreeman (very makrooh
or disliked to the point of being almost haraam). The sin
is not lifted by returning the salaam, but by repentance.
Al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah, vol. 39, p. 247
(www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
1504: If it is not known whether a person is a Muslim or
a kaafir, can we say salaam to him?
Question:
If I meet a person and I do not know whether he is
a kaafir or a Muslim, should I say salaam to him or
return his greeting or not?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It was reported in the hadeeth that you should say
salaam to those you know and those you do not (narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 12; al-Fath 1/55) but this applies only
to Muslims, or those who appear to be Muslim. It was
also reported that it is forbidden to say salaam to Jews
and Christians, because the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "Do not initiate the greeting
of salaam to a Jew or Christian, and if you meet them in
the street, push them to the narrowest part of the
road." (Narrated by Muslim, 2167). He also said: "If the
People of the Book greet you with salaam, say `wa
`alaykum' (and also upon you)." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6258).
But at that time the People of the Book were distinct
from the Muslims in their dress and appearance, and they
were not allowed to resemble Muslims. But in these
times, unfortunately, many Muslims look like them, and we
can no longer tell the difference between a Muslim and
a Christian. Everyone - except for those whom Allaah
wills _ looks the same in dress, in being clean-shaven,
in wearing nothing on their heads, or wearing
western-style caps, so the matter is more confusing. If someone
who looks like the mushrikeen says salaam to you, say
"Wa `alaykum," and do not initiate the greeting, because
of the uncertainty about him. If he objects and tells you
off, then apologize to him. You had reason to act as you
did, because you did know whether he was a Muslim or
a Christian, because he is not dressing as a Muslim
and prefers the dress of the Christians and others. Tell
him that "whoever imitates a people is one of them"
(Saheeh, narrated by Imaam Ahmad, 2/50-92), and advise him
to distinguish himself from the kuffaar and to dress as
the Muslims dress, like his father, grandfathers and
the scholars of the Muslims. If he persists in what he is
doing, this means that he likes the characteristics of the
Christians and is imitating them, and that he despises the
Muslims and is going against them, even though he does not
gain anything from that besides blind imitation. This
indicates that he admires those kuffaar and thinks that their
worldly achievements and inventions, etc., stem from their
false religion. This is going too far, for the Muslims are
wiser and more able to invent and produce, so he should not
be deceived by the Mushrikeen.
Al-Lu'lu' al-Makeen fi Fataawaa al-Shaykh ibn
Jibreen, p. 49 (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
5495: Can we greet the kuffaar with a greeting other
than salaam?
Question:
I would like to understand something about the
greeting of the kouffar. I know that we don't have to give
them sellem first but I have this question if we live in a
kouffar country are we allow to greeting them first but no
with sellem but with good morning like in the workplace,
an another example some neighbours know me since I'm
a child I always try to not greeting them first but
sometime especially with old person I tell them good
morning because I know them since I was born. I really would
like to make this clear because sometime you have to
greeting them like in a meeting you are not the first so you
give them greeting when you enter or when you arrive at
work, etc.
So can you explain me if the rule apply also for
their greeting like good morning and we have to not
forget that we live in their country so we are in weak position.
Thank you to explain me this issue (about the sellem
it's clear) and is the hadith only apply for the sellem or
also for the kouffar's greeting.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. We appreciate your eagerness to
learn; may Allaah increase us and you in knowledge
and acceptable righteous deeds. It was reported
from Mu'aawiyah ibn Abi Sufyaan (may Allaah be pleased
with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Whomever Allaah wills good
for, He enables him to understand the religion."
(Agreed upon).
In response to your question: His Excellency Shaykh
`Abd al-`Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him)
was asked the following question:
Nowadays, as a result of dealing with the West and
the East _ most of whose people are kuffaar of different
sects and religions _ they say the greeting of Islam
("as-salaamu `alaykum") when they meet us in any place. What
should we do with regard to them?
He (may Allaah have mercy on him) replied:
It was reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Do not
initiate the greeting of salaam to the Jews and Christians, and
if you encounter them in the street, push them to
the narrowest part of the road." (Narrated by
Muslim). And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"If the people of the Book greet you with salaam, say
`Wa `alaykum (and also upon you).'" (Agreed
upon). The People of the Book are the Jews and Christians; the
ruling concerning the rest of the kuffaar is the same as the
ruling concerning the Jews and Christians with regard to
this matter, because there is no evidence
(daleel) to indicate anything different.
So we should not initiate the greeting of salaam to a
kaafir at all; if he initiates the greeting of salaam, then we
should say "wa `alaykum" in response, in obedience to
the command of the Messenger (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him). There is no reason why we cannot
then say, How are you? Or, How are your children? _ as
has been permitted by some of the scholars, including
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on
him), especially when doing so serves an Islamic purpose
such as encouraging him to take an interest in Islam so that
he will be receptive to da'wah, because Allaah
says (interpretation of the meanings):
"Invite (mankind, O Muhammad) to the way of your
Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine
Revelation and the Qur'aan) and fair preaching, and argue with
them in a way that is better"
[al-Nahl 16:125]
"And argue not with the people of the Scripture
(Jews and Christians), unless it be in (a way) that is better
(with good words and in good manner, inviting them to
Islamic Monotheism with His Verses), except with such of
them as do wrong" [al-`Ankaboot 29:46]
(Majmoo' Fataawaa wa Rasaa'il Samaahat
al-Shaykh `Abd al-`Azeez ibn Baaz Fataawaa
al-`Aqeedah, part 2, p. 1042)
Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on
him) said, with regard to initiating the greeting with a
kaafir: "A group _i.e., of scholars _ said: it is permissible
to initiate the greeting for a purpose, such as some
interest that one hopes to achieve, or because one fears his
harm, or because they are related by blood, or for some
other reason that dictates that."
(Zaad al-Ma'aad, part 2, p. 424). (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
7092: How should we respond when the People of the
Book greet us with salaam?
Question:
What is the proper way of greeting a non-muslim (5%'er,FOI,or Christian)when they greet you with
the correct Salam's.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
If the Muslim realizes that the kaafir has said to him
"al-saam `alaykum", which means may death be upon
you, he should respond in kind by saying "wa `alaykum"
(and also upon you).
If he realizes beyond a doubt that he has greeted him
with the greeting of Islam (al-salaamu alaykum), Ibn
al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: if the
listener realized that the Dhimmi [Jew or Christian] has
said "salaam `alaykum" and he is sure of that, should he
say "wa `alayk al-salaam" or just "wa `alayk"?
According to the evidence and principles of
sharee'ah, he should say "wa `alayk al-salaam", because this is
more fair, and Allaah commands us to be just and to treat
others well.
(Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah, 1/425, 426).
Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah preserve him) said:
These people who have come to us from the east and
the west and are not Muslims, it is not permissible for us
to initiate the greeting of salaam with them, because
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Do not initiate the greeting of salaam with the Jews
and Christians." (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh).
If they greet us, then we can respond in a manner
similar to that in which they greet us, because Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in
return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it
equally" [al-Nisaa' 4:86].
When they greet us with the greeting of Islam _
"al-salaamu `alaykum" _ either of the following two
cases applies:
Either they pronounce the "laam" (l-sound) clearly,
and say "al-salaam `alaykum (peace be upon you)", so
we may say "wa `alaykum al-salaam" or "wa `alaykum"
Or they do not pronounce the "laam" clearly, and so
they say "al-saamu `alaykum (death be upon you)", so
we should say "wa `alaykum" only. This is because the
Jews used to come to the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) and greet him by saying "al-saam
`alaykum", without pronouncing the "laam". "Al-saam"
means "death"; i.e., they were praying against the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), praying that
he would die. So the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) commanded us to say to them
"wa `alaykum."
Thus, if they say "al-saam `alaykum", we should
reply, "wa `alaykum", which means: and the same to you,
may death be upon you. This is what is indicated by the Sunnah.
But if we initiate the greeting of salaam with them,
our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) forbade us to do this.
(Majmoo' Fataawaa Ibn `Uthaymeen, 2/97, 98).
And Allaah knows best. For more information,
see Question # 6583. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed
Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
6670: Ruling on greeting with a gesture
Question:
What is the ruling in Islaam on greeting by means
of gesture with the hands. One usually does this if the
person is afar. Is this permissible or does it have no basis?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. Al-Tirmidhi narrated in
al-Sunan (5/56) from `Abd-Allaah ibn `Amr that the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "He is not one of us who imitates others. Do not
imitate the Jews or the Christians, for the greeting of the Jews
is a gesture with the fingers and the greeting of the
Christians is a gesture with the hand." Al-Albaani said: (it is) hasan.
The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) "he is not one of us" means he is not one
of those who follow the same path as us and pay attention
to doing things our way. "Who imitates others" means,
he imitates those who are not of our religion. The
meaning is: do not imitate them at all in any of their
deeds, especially in these two characteristics. They would
only give or return a greeting by means of a gesture,
without speaking the words of salaam (peace), which is the
way of Adam and his descendents among the Prophets
and awliyaa' (close friends of Allaah). Al-Nasaa'i
reported with a jayyid isnaad from Jaabir, attributing it to
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):
"do not give the greeting of the Jews, for they greet by
means of a gesture of the head and hand." Note: al-Nawawi
said: this (the hadeeth of Jaabir) does not contradict the
hadeeth of Asmaa' bint Yazeed: the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed through the mosque
where a group of women were sitting, and he greeted them
with a wave of his hand. This hadeeth is to be interpreted
as meaning that he greeted them with both a gesture and
the words of greeting. Abu Dawood also reported this
hadeeth from her, saying, "and he greeted us." The prohibition
on greeting with a gesture only is limited to those who
are able _ both physically and within the limits of
sharee'ah _ to speak the words of greeting. Otherwise it
is permissible for the one who is doing something
that prevents him from speaking to respond to a greeting
with a gesture _ such as when one is praying, or when one
is far away; it is also permissible to use gestures if one
is unable to speak ("dumb"), or when greeting the deaf.
Greeting with a gesture and without speaking is
an imitation of the Jews or Christians. The same applies
to many military salutes. The scholars have stated that it
is bid'ah to greet with a gesture and without saying the
words of greeting (i.e., "al-salaamu `alaykum"). See:
al-Lama' by al-Turkmaani, 1/285, 282.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
6583: How should we return the greeting of salaam from
a non-Muslim?
Question:
What should we say when greeting by a non-Muslim
with: As salaamu `alaykum?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not permissible _ firstly _ to initiate the greeting
of salaam to a non-Muslim. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Do not initiate the
greeting of salaam to a Jew or a Christian…"
(Narrated by Muslim, 2167).
If one of them says "As-Saam
`alaykum" _ meaning, may death be upon you _ or it is not clear whether they
have said "salaam", then we should respond by saying
"Wa `alaykum" (and upon you).
It was reported that Ibn `Umar (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When the
Jews greet you, they say `Al-saam `alaykum (may death be
upon you),' so respond by saying ``alayk (and also upon you).'"
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5902; Muslim, 2461).
If a non-Muslim greets us with the correct shar'i
greeting (i.e., says `Al-salaamu `alaykum' clearly), the
scholars differed as to whether we have to return the greeting.
The majority of scholars said that we do have to return
the greeting, and this is the correct view.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
they differed as to whether it is obligatory to return the
greeting. The majority said that it is obligatory and this is the
correct view. A group of scholars said that it is not obligatory
to return their greeting just as it is not obligatory to
return the greeting of those who follow bid'ah. But the
correct view is the first one. The difference is that we
are commanded to forsake the followers of
bid'ah by way of rebuke and to warn others about them, which is not
the case with the Ahl al-Dhimmah (Jews and Christians).
(Zaad al-Ma'aad, 2/425, 426)
The Muslim who is returning the greeting should
respond in the manner prescribed by sharee'ah, giving a
similar or better greeting, because of the general meaning of
the Aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
"When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in
return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally."
[al-Nisa' 4:86]
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
if the person is certain that the Dhimmi (Jew or
Christian) is clearly saying `al-salaamu
`alaykum' to him, and he has no doubts about that, should he say
`wa `alayka al-salaam' or shorten it to
`wa `alayk'? What is indicated by the evidence and principles of sharee'ah is that he
should say `wa `alayka al-salaam', because this is more
just, and Allaah commands us to be just and to treat
others well… this does not contradict any of the ahaadeeth
on this topic at all, because the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to shorten
the greeting to `wa `alayk' because of the reason
mentioned above, which is that they deliberately used to say
`al-saam `alaykum' instead of `al-salaam
`alaykum', as indicated in the hadeeth narrated by `Aa'ishah (may Allaah
be pleased with her). He said, "Do you not see that I say
`wa `alaykum' when they say `al-saam
`alaykum'?" Then he said, "If the People of the Book greet you with
salaam, say, `Wa `alaykum.'"
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"… and when they come to you, they greet you with
a greeting wherewith Allaah greets you not, and say
within themselves, `Why would Allâh punish us not for
what we say?'…"
[al-Mujaadilah 58:8]
If this reason is not there, and the Jew or Christian
says, `Salaam `alaykum wa rahmat-Allaah,' then it is only
fair to respond in kind.
(Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah, 1/425, 426)
The hadeeth of `Aa'ishah was narrated by
al-Bukhaari (5901) and Muslim (2165)
See also: Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn `Uthaymeen, 2/97
And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh
Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
3498: If a person thinks that someone will not return
his salaam, should he still say salaam?
Question:
If a person thinks that if he greets someone, that
person will most likely not return his salaam, should he still
say salaam or not?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Yes, he should still say salaam.
From Fataawa al-Imaam al-Nawawi, p. 67
(www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
4052: Is it mustahabb for one who gets up to leave
a gathering to say salaam to those who are still sitting?
Question:
Is it mustahabb for one who gets up to leave a
gathering to say salaam to those who are still sitting, or not? Is
there any hadeeth about this or not?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It is Sunnah to do that. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah
be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When one of
you joins a gathering, let him say salaam. When he wants
to get up and leave, let him say salaam. The former is
not more important than the latter."
(Reported by al-Tirmidhi, who said, It is a hasan hadeeth.).
From Fatawa al-Imaam al-Nawawi, p. 67
(www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
4596: The importance of saying salaam and returning
the greeting
Question:
CAN YOU TELL ME A DETAIL INFORMATION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SAYING SALAAM
AND SAYING WAALAIKUM-AS-SALAAM
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
All people have the custom of greeting one another,
and every group has its own distinctive greeting
that distinguishes them from other people.
The Arabs used to greet one another with the
words "An'im sabaahan" or
"An'imu sabaahan" [equivalent to "Good morning" _
Translator], using words derived from "al-ni'mah", which means good living after the
morning. The idea was that because the morning is the first part
of the day, if a person encounters something good in
the morning, the rest of the day will be good too.
When Islam came, Allaah prescribed that the manner
of greeting among Muslims should be
"Al-salaamu alaykum," and that this greeting should only be
used among Muslims and not for other nations. The
meaning of salaam (literally, peace) is harmlessness, safety
and protection from evil and from faults. The name
al-Salaam is a Name of Allaah, may He be exalted, so the
meaning of the greeting of salaam which is required
among Muslims is, "May the blessing of His Name descend
upon you." The usage of the preposition
`ala in `alaykum (upon you) indicates that the greeting is inclusive.
Ibn al-Qayyim said in Badaa'i' al-Fawaa'id (144):
"Allaah, the Sovereign, the Most Holy, the
Peace, prescribed that the greeting among the people of
Islam should be `al-salaamu `alaykum', which is better than
all the greetings of other nations which include
impossible ideas or lies, such as saying, `May you live for a
thousand years,' or things that are not accurate, such as
`An'im sabaahan (Good morning),' or actions that are not
right, such as prostrating in greeting. Thus the greeting of
salaam is better than all of these, because it has the meaning
of safety which is life, without which nothing else can
be achieved. So this takes precedence over all other aims
or objectives. A person has two main aims in life: to
keep himself safe from evil, and to get something
good. Keeping safe from evil takes precedence over
getting something good…"
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) made spreading salaam a part of faith. Al-Bukhaari
(12, 28 and 6236), Muslim (39), Ahmad (2/169), Abu
Dawood (5494), al-Nisaa'i, (8/107) and Ibn Hibbaan (505)
narrated from `Abd-Allaah ibn `Umar that a man asked
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him): "What is the best thing in Islam?" He
said, "Feeding others and giving the greeting of salaam to
those whom you know and those whom you do not know."
Ibn Hajar said in al-Fath (1/56):
"i.e., do not single out anybody out of arrogance or
to impress them, but do it to honour the symbols of
Islam and to foster Islamic brotherhood."
Ibn Rajab said in al-Fath (1/43):
"The hadeeth makes the connection between
feeding others and spreading salaam because this combines
good actions in both word and deed, which is perfect
good treatment (ihsaan). Indeed, this is the best thing that
you can do in Islam after the obligatory duties."
Al-Sanoosi said in Ikmaal al-Mu'allim (1/244):
"What is meant by salaam is the greeting between
people, which sows seeds of love and friendship in their
hearts, as does giving food. There may be some weakness in
the heart of one of them, which is dispelled when he is
greeted, or there may be some hostility, which is turned
to friendship by the greeting."
Al-Qaadi said in Ikmaal al-Mu'allim (1:276):
"Here the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) was urging the believers to soften their hearts.
The best Islamic attitude is to love one another and greet
one another, and this is achieved by words and deeds.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
urged the Muslims to foster love between one another
by exchanging gifts and food, and by spreading salaam,
and he forbade the opposite, namely forsaking one
another, turning away from one another, spying on one
another, seeking out information about one another, stirring
up trouble and being two faced.
Love is one of the duties of Islam and one of the pillars
of the Islamic system. One should give salaams to
those whom one knows and those whom one does not
know, out of sincerity towards Allaah; one should not try
to impress other people by giving salaams only to
those whom one knows and no-one else. This also entails
an attitude of humility and spreading the symbols of
this ummah through the word of salaam."
Thus the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) explained that this salaam spreads love
and brotherhood. Muslim (54), Ahmad (2/391), and
al-Tirmidhi (2513) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and
you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not
tell you about something which, if you do it, you will
love one another? Spread salaam amongst yourselves."
Al-Qaadi `Ayaad said in al-Ikmaal (1/304):
"This is urging us to spread salaam, as mentioned
above, among those whom we know and those whom we do
not know. Salaam is the first level of righteousness and
the first quality of brotherhood, and it is the key to
creating love. By spreading salaam the Muslims' love for
one another grows stronger and they demonstrate
their distinctive symbols and spread a feeling of
security amongst themselves. This is the meaning of Islam."
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) also explained the reward earned by the one who
says salaam, as was reported by al-Nisaa'i in `Aml
al-yawm wa'l-laylah (368) and al-Bukhaari in
al-Adab al-Mufrad (586) and by Ibn Hibban (493). They reported from
Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that a
man passed by the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) whilst he was sitting with
some others, and said "Salaam `alaykum (peace be upon
you)." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said, "[He will have] ten hasanaat (rewards)."
Another man passed by and said "Salaam `alaykum wa
rahmat-Allaah (peace be upon you and the mercy of
Allaah)." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said, "[He will have] twenty hasanaat." Another
man passed by and said "Salaam `alaykum wa
rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu (peace be upon you and the mercy
of Allaah and His blessings)." The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "[He will
have] thirty hasanaat."
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) commanded us to return salaams, and made it a right
and a duty. Ahmad (2/540), al-Bukhaari (1240),
Muslim (2792), al-Nisaa'i in al-Yawm
wa'l-Laylah (221) and Abu Dawood (5031) all reported that Abu Hurayrah
(may Allaah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The
Muslim has five rights over his fellow-Muslim: he should
return his salaams, visit him when he is sick, attend his
funeral, accept his invitation, and pray for mercy for him
[say "Yarhamuk Allaah"] when he sneezes."
It is clear that it is obligatory to say salaam and
return salaams, because by doing so a Muslim is giving
you safety and you have to give him safety in return. It is as
if he is saying to you, "I am giving you safety and
security," so you have to give him the same, so that he does not
get suspicious or think that the one to whom he has
given salaam is betraying him or ignoring him. The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us
that if Muslims are ignoring or forsaking one another,
this will be put to an end when one of them gives salaam.
Al-Bukhaari (6233) reported that Abu Ayyoob (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: `It
is not permissible for a Muslim to forsake his brother
for more than three days, each of them turning away
from the other if they meet. The better of them is the first
one to say salaam.'"
This is a brief overview of the importance of giving
and returning salaam.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
371: Giving salaams to people in the mosque during
the khutbah
Question:
Is it the sunnah to say assalaamu `alaykum out loud
when entering the masjid (while others are praying or
during the khutbah) ?
Please advise the daleel. Jazzakallhu Khayrun
Answer:
The author of Zaad al-Mustanfi' said it is permissible
for the imaam to greet the congregation with salaam
when he faces them. Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen said, in
his interesting comment, that this is because this practice
was reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him). Even though there is some weakness
in this hadeeth (i.e. in its isnaad), this is what the
ummah has done and it is well known that when the imaam
comes and gets up on the minbar, he greets the people
with salaam. (Reported by al-Shu'bi). Abu Bakr and
`Umar used to do this. Reported by `Abd al-Razzaaq , Ibn
Abi Shaybah, 2/114, Ibn Maajah and al-Tabaraani. It was
also reported by al-Bayhaqi from Jaabir ibn `Umar,
narrating from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), then he said: a report concerning this was
narrated from Ibn `Abbaas from `Umar ibn `Abd al-`Azeez.
Then the shaykh said in his commentary: it is not permitted
to speak when the imaam is delivering the khutbah, it
is only permitted before and after the khutbah, even
after the khateeb has arrived and after the adhaan, so long
as the khateeb has not started his khutbah. (Ibn
`Uthaymeen, Al-Sharh al-Muttabi' li Zaad
al-Mustanfi', 5/78). [?? Makath ??] is well known, from which we know that it
is obligatory to return the greeting of salaam, so in this
case we understand that it is not forbidden to speak. And
Allaah knows best.
Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni: "When the imaam
faces the people, he greets them with salaam and they
respond, then he sits down." Then he mentioned the hadeeth
quoted above, and others. Then he said (may Allaah have
mercy on him): "When he greets them with salaam, the
people should respond, because it is more of an obligation
to return the greeting than to initiate it. Then he should
sit down and rest until the mu'adhdhinoon
(muezzins) finish." (al-Mughni 2/297). And Allaah knows best.
May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $16.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
 |
|
PAGES: 344
(6 in x 9 in)
ISBN: 1861793383 |
| Click: HERE to Download the book and get two other FREE books | |  | and Get immediate access to the
full volume and the
FREE Bonuses |
| 
Subscribe to this 
