Chapter 132
Words to be used for offering Greetings
| يُسْتَحَبُّ أنْ يَقُولَ المُبْتَدِئُ بالسَّلاَمِ : السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ . فَيَأتِ بِضَميرِ الجَمْعِ ، وَإنْ كَانَ المُسَلَّمُ عَلَيْهِ وَاحِداً ، وَيقُولُ المُجيبُ : وَعَلَيْكُمْ السَّلاَمُ وَرَحْمَةُ الله وَبَرَكَاتُهُ ، فَيَأتِي بِوَاوِ العَطْفِ في قَوْله : وَعَلَيْكُمْ . كمال السلام يأتي بضمير الجمع ليعم من يحضره من الملائكة ، وإن أفرد الضمير جاز . |
| It is recommended for the one offering greetings to say: 'As-Salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu'. The reply is 'Wa 'Alaikum us-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu.' |
| [851] عن عِمْرَان بن الحصين رضي الله عنهما ، قَالَ : جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النبي فَقَالَ : السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ ، فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ ، فَقَالَ النبيُّ : « عَشْرٌ » ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ ، فَقَالَ : السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ ، فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ فَجَلَسَ ، فَقَالَ : « عِشْرُونَ » ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ ، فَقَالَ : السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ الله وَبَركَاتُهُ ، فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ فَجَلَسَ ، فَقَالَ : « ثَلاثُونَ » . .رواه أَبُو داود والترمذي ، وقال : ( حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ ) . في هذا الحديث : أن زيادة الحسنات بزيادة التحية . |
| 851. 'Imran bin Husain (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: A man came to the Prophet (PBUH) and said: "As-Salamu 'Alaikum (may you be safe from evil). Messenger of Allah (PBUH) responded to his greeting and the man sat down. The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Ten (meaning the man had earned the merit of ten good acts)." Another one came and said: "As-Salamu 'Alaikum wa Rahmatullah (may you be safe from evil, and Mercy of Allah be upon you)." Messenger of Allah (PBUH) responded to his greeting and the man sat down. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Twenty." A third one came and said: "As-Salamu 'Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu (may you be safe from evil, and the Mercy of Allah and His Blessings be upon you)." Messenger of Allah (PBUH) responded to his greeting and the man sat down. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Thirty." [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi]. Commentary: This Hadith shows that we can earn ten-fold good rewards by greeting a person in the Islamic way. There will be a further ten-fold addition to it if we say, "As-Salamu 'Alaikum wa Rahmatullah". may you be safe from evil, and the Mercy of Allah be upon you). And if we say, "As-Salamu 'Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu" may you be safe from evil, and the Mercy of Allah and His Blessings be upon you), thirty-fold good reward comes to us. But Ahadith are silent on increasing more words to Salam. So this much will suffice. |
| [852] وعن عائشةَ رضي الله عنها ، قالت : قَالَ لي رسولُ الله : « هَذَا جِبريلُ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكِ السَّلاَمَ » . قالت : قُلْتُ : وَعَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ . متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ .وهكذا وقع في بعض رواياتِ الصحيحين : « وَبَرَكاتُهُ » وفي بعضها بحذفِها ، وزِيادةُ الثقةِ مقبولة . في هذا الحديث : جواز سلام الرجل الأجنبي على المرأة عند أمن الريبة ، وزاد البخاري في روايته : أنها قالت : ترى ما لا نرى يَا رسول الله . |
| 852. 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to me, "This is Jibril (Gabriel) who is conveying you greetings of peace." I responded: "Wa 'Alaihis-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu (may he be safe from evil, and the Mercy of Allah and His Blessings be upon him)." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Commentary: This Hadith affirms the excellence of 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with him). It also tells us how to respond to the Salam of a third person, that is, we should say, "Wa 'Alaihis-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu.' |
| [853] وعن أنسٍ أنَّ النَّبيَّ كَانَ إِذَا تكلم بِكَلِمَةٍ أعَادَهَا ثَلاثَاً حَتَّى تُفهَمَ عَنْهُ ، وَإِذَا أتَى عَلَى قَوْمٍ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ سلم عَلَيْهِمْ ثَلاَثاً . رواه البخاري .وهذا مَحْمُولٌ عَلَى مَا إِذَا كَانَ الجَمْعُ كَثِيراً . في هذا الحديث : كمال حسن خلقه ومزيد شفقته ، والاقتصار على الثلاث في الكلام إشعار بأن مراتب الفهم كذلك : أعلى , وأوسط ، وأدنى . ومن لا يفهم في ثلاث لا يفهم ولو زيد على ذلك . |
| 853. Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported the Prophet (PBUH) used to repeat his words thrice so that the meaning thereof would be fully understood, and whenever he came upon a gathering of people, he would greet them. He would repeat Salam thrice. [Al-Bukhari]. Commentary: This Hadith tells us about one aspect of the Prophet's excellent manners that he would take due care of showing regard for the sentiments of people. The whole of a gathering is not supposed to hear the Salam of somebody and respond to him. A single person can represent the gathering in this regard. Yet, it was characteristic benevolence of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) which prompted him to repeat his saying "As-Salamu 'Alaikum" thrice so that everybody would hear it and may not have a feeling of being neglected. |
| [854] وعن المِقْدَادِ في حدِيثهِ الطويل ، قَالَ : كُنَّا نَرْفَعُ للنَّبيِّ نَصِيبَهُ مِنَ اللَّبَنِ ، فَيَجِيءُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ ، فَيُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيماً لا يُوقِظُ نَائِماً ، وَيُسْمِعُ اليَقْظَانَ ، فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ فَسَلَّمَ كَمَا كَانَ يُسَلِّمُ . رواه مسلم . في هذا الحديث : أن المسلِّم على النيام لا يرفع صوته بحيث يوقظ النائم بل يجعل صوته بين الجهر والإِخفات . |
| 854. Al-Miqdad (May Allah be pleased with him) reported in course of a long Hadith: We used to reserve for the Prophet (PBUH) his share of the milk, and he would come at night and offer greetings in such a manner as did not disturb those asleep and was heard only by those who were awake. In fact, the Prophet (PBUH) came and offered greetings as usual. [Muslim]. Commentary: Herein, we are told how to offer Salam to people when some of them are asleep while others are awake. Our voice should be so low so as not to disturb those who are asleep and to give a chance to those who are awake to respond to it. |
| [855] وعن أسماء بنتِ يزيد رضي الله عنها : أنَّ رسول الله مَرَّ في المَسْجدِ يَوْماً ، وَعُصْبَةٌ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ قُعُودٌ ، فَألْوَى بِيَدِهِ بالتسْلِيمِ . رواه الترمذي ، وقال : ( حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ ) .وهذا محمول عَلَى أنَّه جَمَعَ بَيْنَ اللَّفْظِ وَالإشَارَةِ ، وَيُؤَيِّدُهُ أنَّ في رِوَايةِ أَبي داود : فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْنَا . في هذا الحديث : جواز الإِشارة بالسلام مع التلفظ به ليتنبه المسلَّم عليه . |
| 855. Asma' bint Yazid (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) passed through the mosque one day and there was a group of women (about ten of them) sitting in the mosque. He raised his hand to offer greetings. [At-Tirmidhi]. Commentary: To offer As-Salam by the gesture of hand from a distance is forbidden in Islam because it is the way of non-Muslims. However, it is allowed if words are also uttered along with it. Secondly, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) could greet women because he was sinless and permanently stood under Allah's Protection. Yet, it is not permissible to other men for the fear of provoking temptation. But this Hadith can be carried into effect in case one feels that no temptation and evil will be involved in it. For example, a man can greet aged and respectable women. However, Salam to young women is not allowed as it can give birth to wickedness. |
| [856] وعن أَبي جُرَيٍّ الهُجَيْمِيِّ قال : أتيت رسول الله فقلتُ : عَلَيْكَ السَّلامُ يَا رسول الله . قَالَ : « لا تَقُلْ عَلَيْكَ السَّلامُ ؛ فإنَّ عَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمُ تَحِيَّةُ المَوتَى » . رواه أَبُو داود والترمذي ، وقال : ( حديث حسن صحيح ) ، وَقَدْ سبق لفظه بِطُولِهِ . في هذا الحديث : نهي المبتدئ بالسلام عن قوله : عليك السلام ، لأن ذلك تحيَّة الموتى . وقد ورد عنه تقديم لفظ السلام على الموتى حين قال : « السلام عليكم دار قوم مؤمنين » فهو أحسن . |
| 856. Abu Juraiy Al-Hujaimi (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I saw Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and said: "Alaikas-Salamu ya Rasulallah! (Upon you be peace, O Messenger of Allah)!" He said, "Do not say: 'Alaikas-Salamu (Upon you be peace).' This is the Salam to the dead." [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi]. Commentary: This is part of a long Hadith which has been mentioned earlier on. Refer to Hadith 796 and the commentary following it. |