The Book of Greetings

كتاب السلام

Chapter 1: The One Who Is Riding Should Greet The One Who Is Walking, And The Smaller Group Should Greet The Larger Group

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

The rider should first greet the pedestrian, and the pedestrian the one who is seated and a small group should greet a larger group (with as-Salam-u-'Alaikum).

Chapter 2: One Of The Duties Of Sitting In The Street Is To Return Salam

Abu Talha reported

While we were sitting in front of the houses and talking amongst ourselves, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) happened to come there. He stood by us and said: What about you and your meetings on the paths? Avoid these meetings on the paths. We said: We were sitting here without (any intention of doing harm to the passers-by) ; we are sitting to discuss matters and to hold conversation amongst ourselves. Thereupon he said: If there is no help (for you but to sit on these paths), then give the paths their rights and these are lowering of the gaze, exchanging of greetings and good conversation.

Abu Sa'id Khudri reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying

Avoid sitting on the paths. They (the Companions) said: Allah's Messenger, we cannot help but holding our meetings (in these paths) and discuss matters (there). Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: If you insist on holding meetings, then give the path its due right. They said: What are its due rights? Upon this he said: Lowering the gaze, refraining from doing harm, exchanging of greetings. commanding of good and forbidding from evil.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zaid b. Aslam with the same chain of transmitters.

Chapter 3: One Of The Rights Of One Muslim Over Another Is (The Greeting Of) Salam

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Five are the rights of a Muslim over his brother: responding to salutation, saying Yarhamuk Allah when anybody sneezes and says al-Hamdulillah, visiting the sick. following the bier. ' Abd al-Razzaq said that this hadith has been transmitted as mursal hadith from Zuhri and he then substantiated it on the authority of Ibn Musayyib.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Six are the rights of a Muslim over another Muslim. It was said to him: Allah's Messenger, what are these? Thereupon he said: When you meet him, offer him greetings;when he invites you to a feast accept it. when he seeks your council give him, and when he sneezes and says:" All praise is due to Allah," you say Yarhamuk Allah (may Allah show mercy to you) ; and when he fails ill visit him; and when he dies follow his bier.

Chapter 4: The Prohibition Of Initiating The Greeting With The People Of The Book, And How To Respond To Them

Anas b. Malik reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

When the People of the Book offer you salutations, you should say: The same to you.

Anas reported that the Companions of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said to him

The People. of the Book offer us salutations (by saying as-Salamu- 'Alaikum). How should we reciprocate them? Thereupon he said: Say: Wa 'Alaikum (and upon you too).

Ibn 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

When the Jews offer you salutations, some of them say as-Sam-u-'Alaikum (death be upon you). You should say (in response to it): Let it be upon you.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Umar through another chain of transmitters with a slight variation of wording.

'A'isha reported that a group of Jews came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and sought his audience and said

As-Sam-u-'Alaikum. A'isha said in response: As-Sam-u-'Alaikum (death be upon you) and curse also, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: 'A'isha, verily Allah loves kindness in every matter. She said: Did you bear what they said? Thereupon he said: Did you not hear that I said (to them): Wa 'Alaikum.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Zuhri that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

I said 'Alaikum, and the transmitter did not make mention of the word "and".

'A'isha reported that some Jews came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and they said

Abu'l-Qasim (the Kunya of the Holy Prophet), as-Sam-u-'Alaikum, whereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Wa 'Alaikum. A'isha reported: In response to these words of theirs, I said: But let there be death upon you and disgrace also, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: 'A'isha, do not use harsh words. She said: Did you hear what they said? Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Did I not respond to them when they said that; I said to them: Wa 'Alaikum (let it be upon you).

This hadith has been reported on the authority of A'znash with a slight variation of wording. 'A'isha understood their meaning and cursed them and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

'A'isha. (do not do that) for Allah does not like the use of harsh words, and it was at this stage that this verse of Allah. the Exalt. ed and Glorious. was revealed:" And when they come to thee, they greet thee with a greeting with which Allah greets thee not" (Iviii. 8) to the end of the verse.

Jabir b. Abdullah reported that some people from amongst the Jews said to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) Abu'l-Qasim. as-Sam-u-'Alaikum, whereupon he said

Wa 'Alaikum, A'isha was enraged and asked him (Allah's Apostle) whether he had not heard what they had said. He said, I did hear and I retorted to them (and the curse that I invoked upon them would receive response from Allah), but (the curse that they invoked upon us) would not be responded.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Do not greet the Jews and the Christians before they greet you and when you meet any one of them on the roads force him to go to the narrowest part of it.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Suhail with the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording. The hadith transmitted on the authority of Waki', the words are 'When you meet the Jews." And in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Shu'ba, the words are

'When you meet the People of the Book." And in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Jarir the words are:" When you meet them," but none amongst the polytheists has been mentioned explicitly by name.

Chapter 5: It Is Recommended To Greet Children With Salam

Anas b. Malik reported that when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) happened to pass by young boys he would great them.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Sayyar with the same chain of transmitters.