Introduction


All praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds and peace and blessing be upon the best of creation who was sent down as a mercy for the worlds His beloved Prophet Muhammad .


What is Salaam?

Imam Baihaqi narrates in discontinuation from Ibne Abbas,
"That As-Salaam is amongst Allah’s names and also this is the greeting of the dwellers of Paradise.


Imaam Bukhari in his Al-Adabul-Mufrad narrates from Hazrat Anas that the Holy Prophet said,

"As-salaam is indeed a name from the names of Allah, which Allah has placed upon the Earth, therefore spread salaam amongst yourselves in abundance."

Offering Salaam Is An Islamic Duty

It has been narrated from Hazrat Ali that the Rasullah said,
"Commonly in Islam there are six rights of a Muslim upon a Muslim: when he meets him he should give him salaam; when he invites him (to a meal) he should accept it; when he sneezes he should bless him; when he falls ill he should visit him; when he dies he should accompany his funeral and he should prefer for him that which he prefers for himself."


Replying To Salaam Is A Duty Of A Muslim


Nasai narrates from Hazrat Abu Hurairah that the Holy Prophet said,
"There are rights of a Muslim over a Muslim: Responding to salaam, visiting the sick, following the bier (A platform upon which the corpse rests), accepting an invitation (to a meal) and blessing a person who sneezes."


Warning Upon Not Replying To The Salaam


It has been narrated from Abdur Rahmaan ibn Shayba; he says the Holy Prophet said,
"A rider should give salaam to a walking person, a walking person should give salaam to a seated person, a small group should give salaam to a larger group, whoever then responds to salaam, it is for his benefit, and he who does not respond to salaam, is not from amongst us."

" Ibn Sunni has narrated this and also Imam Bukhari in his book Al Adabul Mufrad. On these bases Allama Nawawi in his commentary of Sahih Muslim has said,
"To commence salaam is Sunnah and to reply is Wajib."


Similarly Hafiz ibn Abdul Bar says,
"It is an unanimous agreement of the Muslims that to commence Salaam is Sunnah and to reply is Wajib."


The Virtue of Commencing Salaam

It has been narrated by Abu Umamah that the Holy Prophet said,
"Whoever commences Salaam is very close to Allah and His Messenger."


In Imaam Ahmad’s narration there is,
"The closest to Allah, the most glorious and eminent one, from amongst all the people is the one who commences salaam."


Similarly Tabrani narrates from Abu Darda, who says that we asked the Holy Prophet ,
"O Prophet of Allah, we meet each other, so who from amongst us should give salaam first?" The Holy Prophet replied, "The one who is the most obedient to Allah from amongst you."


Reward For Giving Salaam

It has been narrated by Saalim that the Holy Prophet said,
"He who says Assalaamu Alaikum (Peace be upon you) ten rewards are written down for him, and he who says Assalaamu Alaikum wa rahmatullah (Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy) for him twenty rewards are written down and he who says Assalaamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh (Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessing) thirty rewards are written down (for him)."



The Manner of giving Salaam


Abu Yala narrates from Hazrat Abu Hurairah that the Holy Prophet said,
"When anyone of you decides to offer salaam he should say ‘Assalaamu Alaikum’, because Allah, the most Glorious and Eminent one is As-salaam, for this reason do not commence with anything before saying Allah’s name."


Conduct With The Person Who Does Not Say Salaam

It has been narrated from Ibn Umar, that the Holy Prophet said,
"He who speaks without firstly giving salaam, then do not answer him (to what he has to say)."


Spread Salaam


In Mu’atta, Tufail ibn Abi Shayba regarding Ibn Umar radiyallahu anhuma says that one day when I came to Abdullah ibn Umar, he asked me to go to the market (with him). I asked,
"What are you going to do in the market? You do not go to any salesman, or ask about any goods or its price nor do you want to sit in any market gatherings, so stay here with us, we will talk here."

Abdullah ibn Umar then said, "O Abu Battan, (he called him Abu Battan because Tufail ibn Abi had a large stomach) we are going to the market for the cause of giving salaam."

Similarly Ibn Sunni has narrated about Abu Imaam Baa’ali that he said to Muhammad ibn Ziyaad,
"O my nephew the Holy Prophethas commanded us that we spread salaam."


A Rider Should Give Salaam To A Walking Person


It has been narrated by Abu Hurairah that the Holy Prophetsaid,
"A rider should give salaam to a walking person and a walking person should give salaam to a seated person and when a small group of people pass by a larger group they (the smaller group) should give salaam."


Similarly it has been narrated by Jabir that the Holy Prophet said,
"A rider should give salaam to a walking person and a walking person should give salaam to a seated person, but if two walking persons meet each other, then whoever commences salaam first from the two, is superior."


Giving And Replying To Salaam From One Person Is Sufficient

It has been narrated by Hazrat Ali that the Holy Prophet said,
"The salaam of a person, from a passing group of people, will be sufficient on behalf of all the group, likewise if one person from those who are seated replies to the salaam, it will be sufficient on behalf of all the rest."


Giving Salaam To The Children


In Sunan-e-Abu Dawood, it has been narrated by Hazrat Anas that,
"The Holy Prophet came by us at the time when I was a child together with other children and greeted us all with salaam. Then the Holy Prophet took hold of my hand and sent me on an errand (with a message). The Holy Prophetwas waiting in the shade of a wall until my return."


Hazrat Anas then narrated a Hadeeth, that he was walking with the Holy Prophetand when they passed by some children,
" The Holy Prophet greeted them with salaam."


The Correct Words Of Salaam

Abu Tameema narrates from a Sahabi who reported,
"I said ‘Alaikas Salaam (Upon you be peace) O’ Messenger of Allah."
The Holy Prophet said, "Alaikas Salaam are the words of the deceased person’s salaam. When one of you meets his fellow brother, he should say Assalamu Alaikum wa
Rahmatullah."


The Manner Of Greeting The Dead In The Grave Yard

It has been narrated Abu Hurairah that when the Holy Prophet passed by the graves, he would say,
"Salaam be upon you, O’ people of this abode from the believing men and believing women, Muslim men, Muslim women, pious men, pious women, indeed if Allah wishes, we will join you."

This narration has been narrated by Allama Suyuti in his book Jaame-us-Sageer.


Giving Salaam To The People Of A Gathering

It has been narrated by Hazrat Abu Huraira that the Holy Prophet said,
"If any one of you enters any gathering, he should give salaam. He should then remain seated to that extent he has in his mind, and when he decides to return, he should again give salaam."


Reply To A Third Person’s Salaam

A person from (the tribe of) Banu Tameem narrates from his father who narrates from his paternal grandfather that he arrived in the presence of the Holy Prophet and said,
"My father sends salaam upon you."

The Holy Prophet replied,
"Wa Alaika Wa’alaa Abeekas Salaam (Peace be upon you and your father)."

Imaam Abu Dawood, Nasai and Ibn Sunni have narrated this.



Giving Salaam Even After A Short Separation

It has been narrated by Anas that,
" The companions of the Holy Prophet would walk together and when a tree would come in their way they would separate towards the left and right. Then on meeting each other, one of them would greet the other with salaam.



The Virtue Of Giving Salaam In One’s Own Home And Then Setting Out



Likewise it has been narrated by Abu Umamah al-Ba’ali that the Holy Prophet said,
"They are three people under the care of Allah the most glorious and eminent one; one who goes out in the path of Allah as a Muslim soldier is in the care of Allah until Allah takes his soul away. He will be entered into paradise or Allah will return him with reward and booty which he has gained.
The second person who is also in the care of Allah until Allah takes his soul away, is he who walks towards the Masjid. Allah will enter him into Paradise or make him return, giving him reward and booty which he has gained. The third person who is in the care of Allah is he who enters his own home and gives salaam."


Imaam Bukhari in his book Al-Adabul Mufrad has mentioned a narration,

"There are three types of people who are all in all in the care of Allah. If they stay alive they will find a life of sufficiency and if they pass away they will enter Paradise. One is he who enters his own home by giving salaam, is in the care of Allah the most glorious and eminent one. The second person who is in the care of Allah the most glorious and eminent one is he who goes out towards the Masajid. The third person who is in the care of Allah, is he who goes out in the path of Allah."