A man asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "Which act in Islam is the best?" He (ﷺ) replied, "To give food, and to greet everyone, whether you know or you do not."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When Allah created Adam (ﷺ), He said to him: 'Go and greet that company of angels who are sitting there - and then listen to what they are going to say in reply to your greetings because that will be your greeting and your off-spring's.' Adam (ﷺ) said to the angels: 'As-Salamu 'Alaikum (May peace be upon you).' They replied: 'As-Salamu 'Alaikum wa Rahmatullah (May peace be upon you and the Mercy of Allah).' Thus adding in reply to him: 'wa Rahmatullah (and the Mercy of Allah)' to his greeting."[Al- Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded us to do seven things: to visit the sick, to follow the funeral (of a dead believer), to invoke the Mercy of Allah upon one who sneezes (i.e., by saying to him: Yarhamuk- Allah), to support the weak, to help the oppressed, to promote the greeting of 'As-Salamu 'Alaikum', and to help those who swear to do something to keep their oaths.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "By Him in Whose Hand is my life! You will not enter Jannah until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I inform you of something which, if you do, you will love one another? Promote greetings amongst yourselves."[Muslim].

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "O people, exchange greetings of peace (i.e., say: As-Salamu 'Alaikum to one another), feed people, strengthen the ties of kinship, and be in prayer when others are asleep, you will enter Jannah in peace."[At- Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hasan Sahih].

I used to visit 'Abdullah bin 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) in the morning and accompany him to the market. 'Abdullah offered greetings of peace to every one he met on the way, be they sellers of petty goods, traders or poor people. One day when I came to him, he asked me to accompany him to the market. I said to him: "What is the point of your going to the market when you do not sell, nor ask about articles, nor offer a price for them, nor sit down with any company of people. Let us sit down here and talk." He replied: "O Abu Batn (father of a belly) - Tufail had a large belly - we go to the market to greet everyone we meet."[Malik, with a sound chain].

A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: "As-Salamu 'Alaikum (May peace be upon you). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) responded to his greeting and the man sat down. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Ten (meaning the man had earned the merit of ten good deeds)." Another one came and said: "As-Salamu 'Alaikum wa Rahmatullah (May peace be upon you and the Mercy of Allah)." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) responded to his greeting and the man sat down. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Twenty." A third one came and said: "As-Salamu 'Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu (May peace be upon you and the Mercy of Allah and His Blessings)." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) responded to his greeting and the man sat down. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Thirty."[Abu Dawud and At- Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hasan].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me, "This is Jibril (Gabriel) who is conveying you greetings of peace." I responded: "Wa 'Alaihis-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu (May peace be upon him and the Mercy of Allah and His Blessings)."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported the Prophet (ﷺ) 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].

We used to reserve for the Prophet (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) came and offered greetings as usual.[Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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, who classified it as Hasan].

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Those who are nearest to Allah are they who are first to give a salutation.

[Abu Dawud] And At- Tirmidhi narrated its meaning and classified it as Hasan.

I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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, who classified the hadith as Hasan Sahih].

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The narration in Al-Bukhari adds: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The young should greet the elderly.''

[Abu Dawud, with a sound chain].

The narration in At-Tirmidhi is: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked: "O Messenger of Allah! When two persons meet, who should greet the other first?'' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The person nearest to Allah (i.e., one who is more obedient and therefore closer to Allah will say: As-Salam first)."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When one of you meets a brother (in Faith) he should greet him. Then if a tree or a wall or a stone intervenes between them and then he meets him again, he should greet him."[Abu Dawud].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me, "Dear son, when you enter your house, say As- Salamu 'Alaikum to your family, for it will be a blessing both to you and to your family."[At-Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hasan Sahih].

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].