Greetings

كتاب السَّلامِ

Chapter 12: The person who greets first

Ibn 'Umar said that al-Agharr (who was a man from Muzayna and had been a Companion of the Prophet) was owed some measures of dates by a man from the Banu 'Amr ibn 'Awf who came to him many times. He said, "I went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he sent Abu Bakr as-Siddiq with me." He continues, "Everyone we met greeted us. Abu Bakr said, 'Don't you know that when people give the greeting before us, they have the reward? Give the greeting before them and you will have the reward.'"

Abu Ayyub reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "It is not lawful for a Muslim man to separate himself from his brother for more than three days. When they meet, and one turns away and the other turns away, the better of them is the one who gives the greeting first."

Chapter 13: The excellence of the greeting

Abu Hurayra reported that a man passed by the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while hew as in an assembly and said, "Peace be upon you." "Ten good deeds," he said. Another man passed by and said, "Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah." The Prophet said, "Twenty good deeds." Then yet another man passed by and said, "Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessing," and the Prophet said, "Thirty good deeds." Then a man in the gathering got up and did not give the greeting. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "How quickly your companion forgets! When one of you comes to an assembly, he should give the greeting. If he thinks he should sit down, he sits down. When he stands up, he gives the greeting. Neither is a greater duty than the other."

'Umar said, "I was riding behind Abu Bakr and he passed by some people. He said, 'Peace be upon you.' They said, 'Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.' He said, 'Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.' They said, 'Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.' Abu Bakr said, 'Today the people have been very much better than us.'"

'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The Jews do not envy you for anything the way that they envy you for the salam and the Amin."

Chapter 14: Peace (as-Salam) is one of the Names of Allah

Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "As-Salam (peace) is one of the Names of Allah Almighty which Allah has placed in the earth. Therefore give the greeting among yourselves."

Ibn Mas'ud said, " They were doing the prayer with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and someone said, 'Peace be upon Allah.' When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, finished the prayer, he said, 'Who said "Peace be upon Allah"? Allah is Peace. Rather say, "Greetings belong to Allah and good words and prayers. Peace be upon you, O Prophet and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon all the right-acting slaves of Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger."'"

Chapter 15: It is a duty for one Muslim to greet another Muslim

Abu Hurayra said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'The rights a Muslim has over another Muslim are six." He was asked, "What are they?" He replied, "When he meets him, he should greet him, When he gives him an invitation, he should accept. When he asks him for advice, he should give him good counsel. When he sneezes and praises Allah, he should wish him mercy. when he is ill, he should visit him. When he dies, he should accompany him."

Chapter 16: Someone walking greets the person sitting down

'Abdu'r-Rahman ibn Shibl said that he heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The person riding should greet the person on foot. The person on foot should greet the person who is seated. The smaller group should greet the large. Whoever answers the greeting, that is for him. Whoever does not answer it, has nothing."

Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The person riding greets the person walking. The person walking greets the person sitting. The small group greets the large group."

Jabir said, "When two people walking meet, then the one who gives the greeting first is the better of them."

Chapter 17: The person riding greets the person sitting

See 993.

Fadala reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The person riding greets the person sitting and the small group greets the larger."

Chapter 18: Does the person walking greet the person riding?

Ash-Sha'bi said that he met a rider and gave the greeting first. I said, "Did you give the greeting first?" He said, "I saw Shurayh walking and he gave the greeting first."

Chapter 19: A small group greets the large group

See 996.

See 996.

Chapter 20: The young person greets the old

See 993.

Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The young person greets the old person, the person walking greets the person sitting down, and the small group greets the large group."

Chapter 21: The end of the greeting

(sic) Abu'z-Zinad said, "Kharija (ibn Zayd ibn Thabit) used to write on the letter of Zayd when he said the salam, 'Peace be upon you, Amir al-Mu'minin, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings and His forgiveness and the best of His prayers."

Chapter 22: The person who greets by a gesture

Abu Qurra al-Khurasani said, "I saw Anas pass by us and he indicated to us with his hand that he was giving the greeting., The gesture made that clear. I saw al-Hasan using yellow dye while wearing a black turban. Asma' said, 'The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, waved his hand to indicate the greeting to women."