بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Giving salam is nowadays mostly done to people that we closely know. During Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ time, the greeting was given out to everybody, whether close or not. Offering the salam shows that you love your brothers and sisters in Islam. Let’s look at the Hadiths regarding Salam as below.
Hadiths regarding giving salam
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ “ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لاَ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا وَلاَ تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا أَوَلاَ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى شَىْءٍ إِذَا فَعَلْتُمُوهُ تَحَابَبْتُمْ أَفْشُوا السَّلاَمَ بَيْنَكُمْ ” .
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘By the One in whose Hand is my soul! You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not (truly) believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you of something which, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread the greetings of Salam amongst yourselves.'”
Source: Sunan Ibn Majah 68
Narrated by: Abu Hurairah (RA)
النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَىُّ الإِسْلاَمِ خَيْرٌ قَالَ “ تُطْعِمُ الطَّعَامَ، وَتَقْرَأُ السَّلاَمَ عَلَى مَنْ عَرَفْتَ، وَعَلَى مَنْ لَمْ تَعْرِفْ ”.
A man asked the Prophet, “What Islamic traits are the best?” The Prophet said, “Feed the people, and greet those whom you know and those whom you do not know.”
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (RA)
Narrated by: Abdullah bin ‘Amr
The phrase of giving salam
ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّٰهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
Peace be upon you, as well as the mercy of Allah and his blessings.
The above is the full phrase of the salam, though most would utter Assalamu alaikum ( ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ ) for short which is acceptable as well.
The phrase to answer Salam
Giving salam itself is sunnah but answering the salam is compulsory or wajib. It is the right of one Muslim to another Muslim. The following Quran verse 86 from Surah an-Nisa prescribes it:
وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍۢ فَحَيُّوا۟ بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَآ أَوْ رُدُّوهَآ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَسِيبًا(٨٦)
And when you are greeted, respond with a better greeting or at least similarly. Surely Allah is a ˹vigilant˺ Reckoner of all things.
وَعَلَيْكُمُ ٱلسَّلَامُ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّٰهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
And upon you be peace, as well as the mercy of Allah and his blessings.
The above is the full phrase to answer the Salam. Though it is acceptable to just answer it with Waalaikumus salam ( وَعَلَيْكُمُ ٱلسَّلَامُ ).
The order of giving salam
Such is the beauty of Islam, there is even an etiquette and order of offering salam from one Muslim to the other based on the Hadiths below:
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ يُسَلِّمُ الرَّاكِبُ عَلَى الْمَاشِي، وَالْمَاشِي عَلَى الْقَاعِدِ، وَالْقَلِيلُ عَلَى الْكَثِيرِ ”.
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “The riding one should greet the walking one, and the walking one should greet the sitting one, and the small number of persons should greet the large number of persons.”
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 6233
Narrated by: Abu Hurairah (RA)
Furthermore, when two individuals meet the one closest to Allah is the one who offers the salam first as in the Hadith Hasan below:
وعن أبي أمامة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “إن أولى الناس بالله من بدأهم بالسلام”
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Those who are nearest to Allah are they who are first to give a salutation.
Source: Riyad as-Salihin 855
Narrated by: Abu Umamah (RA)
Giving salam and answering salam
Conclusion about giving salam
Giving salam is actually a symbol of love between Muslims. You wish for Allah’s grace and blessing for your fellow brothers and sisters. Offer your salam with a smile and receive it with a smile too. May our bonds as Muslims strengthen and our sins forgiven.
As always, do share this piece of article out to all of your family and friends. Remember to practice giving salam to every Muslim including the ones that we don’t know. May it be one of the long lasting good deeds that rewards us well. Here in this world and in the hereafter, InsyaAllah.
