Salam alaikum
Muslims greet one another by “Salam Alaikum” which is actually a supplication for Muslims among themselves.
The simplest form of greeting is “Salam Alaikum” which is a combination of 2 words i.e Salam : peace and Aalaykum : upon you. So it actually means “Peace of Allah subhanahu be upon you”. It is not just “peace” but its the peace from Allah
وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّوا بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا أَوْ رُدُّوهَا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَسِيبًا [ النساء: 86]
When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally. Certainly, Allah is Ever a Careful Account Taker of all things. [ Surah An-Nissa verse 86]
Allah (سبحانه و تعالي) taught Prophet Adam (Alayhay Salam) how to say “Salam” and after learning “Salam” he went to say the first Salam alaikum to the angels by the order of Allah (سبحانه و تعالي) as mentioned in the following hadith.
Narrated Abu Hurairah (RA):
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah created Adam, making him 6O cubits tall. When He created him, He said to him, “Go and greet that group of angels, and listen to their reply, for it will be your greeting (salutation) and the greeting (salutations of your offspring.” So, Adam said (to the angels), As-Salamu Alaikum (i.e. Peace be upon you). The angels said, “As-salamu Alaika wa Rahmatu-l-lahi” (i.e. Peace and Allahs Mercy be upon you). Thus the angels added to Adams salutation the expression, Wa Rahmatu-l-lahi, Any person who will enter Paradise will resemble Adam (in appearance and figure). People have been decreasing in stature since Adams creation. ( Saheeh Bokhari )
Importance of Salam
Salam is one of the 4 Darajaat Deeds
Mu’adh that once the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم) delayed coming (to mosque) in the morning so much that the sun was near sunrise.
Then the Prophet ﷺ came out quickly and offered a short prayer. After turning his salutations, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Sit in your place.” Then he turned to us and said, “I will tell you the reason for my late arrival. It happened and as much as Allah pleased, I prayed during the prayer I fell asleep, I woke up, then suddenly my Lord came to me in a very beautiful form and said:
O Muhammad ﷺ! Why are the the closest ranked ( Mulla Aala) angels discussing? I said Lord! I do not know (this question was answered two or three times) Then the Lord placed His palms between my shoulders, the coolness of which I felt in my chest and breast until all the things in the heavens and the earth became visible in front of me and I He recognized them, after that Allah again asked, O Muhammad ﷺ ! What are the angels of closest ranks arguing about? I answered that about “Kaffarat” (atonement for sins or forgiveness of sins ).He said, what are the “Kaffarat”? I answered that “Kaffarat” (atonement/forgiveness for sins) are
- To walk on feet for Friday prayers,
- To sit in the mosque even after prayer,
- To complete ablution despite finding it difficult .
Then asked what is meant by “Darjat ” (Higher Levels or grades)? I said that the things that lead to “Darajat” (high ranks) are
- The best (gentle or kind ) speech,
- The publication of Salam (Alaikum),
- Giving food to eat
- Praying at night “when people are sleeping”.
Then he said, O Muhammad! ﷺ Ask (for supplication) : I said:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ فِعْلَ الْخَيْرَاتِ وَتَرْكَ الْمُنْكَرَاتِ وَحُبَّ الْمَسَاكِينِ وَأَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي وَتَرْحَمَنِي وَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ فِتْنَةً فِي قَوْمٍ فَتَوَفَّنِي غَيْرَ مَفْتُونٍ وَأَسْأَلُكَ حُبَّكَ وَحُبَّ مَنْ يُحِبُّكَ وَحُبَّ عَمَلٍ يُقَرِّبُنِي إِلَى حُبِّكَ
O Allah! I ask You for pure things, to avoid unbelief, to love the poor, and that You forgive me and pay special attention to me, and when one of the people intends to test a nation, do not afflict me with temptation. Give me death before it happens and I ask You for Your love, the love of those who love You and the love of actions that bring you closer to Your love.
And dear Prophet ﷺ said: This incident is true, learn it and teach it to the people. [ Ref : Masnad Ahmad , Hadith 21097]
Salam is path to paradise
Our dearest Creator Allah (سبحانه و تعالي)’s dearest Prophet Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم) has told us an easy way that will help us enter Paradise in sha Allah.
dearest Prophet Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم) said that :
- You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and
- you will not believe until you love one another.
- I will tell you something that if you do it, you will love each other, spread “Salam” among yourselves.
Saying Salam is one of the best qualities of Islam
Narrated Abdullah bin Amr (RA): A person asked Allahs Apostle ﷺ: “What (sort of) deeds in or (what qualities of) Islam are good”? He replied, “To feed (the poor) and greet those whom you know and those whom you dont know”. [Sahih Bokhari , Hadith 28]
Gather Imaan by Salam and two other deeds
Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘Whoever fulfills three things has gathered their faith:
- Being just to oneself.
- Greeting every person with Salam.
- Spending in times of difficulty.'” [Sahih Bokhari , Hadith ]
Excess of Salam is from the 7 orders in Hadith
Rasulullah ﷺ commanded us to do seven things.
- To visit the the sick (inquire about the patient’s health),
- To follow the funeral,
- To answer the sneeze.
- To help the weak,
- To help the oppressed,
- To express the salam (to answer the salam and to give many salams),
- To fulfill the oath of the one who takes an oath (right),
and the Prophet ﷺ forbade us
- Drinking in a silver vessel.
- Wearing gold rings.
- Riding the Maytar (silk saddle),
- Wearing silk
- Wearing dabaj (type of thick silk),
- Wearing Qassiy (type of silk )
- and wearing Istabarq (type of silk). (Reference : Saheeh Bokhai Hadith #6235)
Salam makes the Jews jealous of Muslims
Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The Jews did not envy you for anything as much as they envied you for “Salam” and saying Ameen. [Sunan Iban Majah Hadith 856]
Salam is the 3 of most important deeds
Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The Jews did not envy you for anything as much as they envied you for “Salam” and saying Ameen. [Sunan Iban Majah Hadith 856]
Rules of Salam
Salam is both for coming and leaving
It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah: When one of you comes to the assembly, he should say salam, and when he intends to stand up, he should say salam, because the first salam is not better than the second salam. [Sunan Abu Dawud Hadith 4532]
Who should say Salam first
The following Hadith tells about who should say Salam first
Narrated Abu Hurairah (RA) :
The Prophet ﷺ said, “The young should greet the old, the passer by should greet the sitting one, and the small group of persons should greet the large.[Saheeh Bokhari 6231]
Reply Salam in a better way
Quran has ordered us to greet one another with Salam and when someone says Salam to us, we should reply in a better way or at least reply in the same manner as told in the following verse of Quran.
وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّوا بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا أَوْ رُدُّوهَا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَسِيبًا [ النساء: 86]
When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally. Certainly, Allah is Ever a Careful Account Taker of all things. [ Surah An-Nissa verse 86]
It should also be noted that in this verse of the Quran, the word “Salam” is not used but the word “to greet” is used. This means that it’s not just the words of “Salam” that matter, but also the manner in which we greet. That is, if someone greets us politely, we must greet that person in an even more polite way or at least in the same manner. For example, if a person greets us by saying Salam with a smiling face, then we should also reply with an even more smiling way or at least in the same manner.
Repeat Salam when meeting again even after short time
When one of you meets his brother, he should greet him with Salam, then if there is a tree, wall, or stone between them and they meet him (face to face), then he should greet him again with Salam. [Sunan Abu Dawud 5200]
Do not say Salam Alaikum in these conditions
It is not allowed to say or reply to Salam Alaikum in the following situations.
- In toilet.
- While undressed.
- During Wuddu as Wuddu is an act of worship. (This is according to Fiqah Hanafi . In Fiqah Shafi , it is allowed)
- After the Adhan of Friday sermon untill Imam has completed the Friday sermon. The imam can say Salam Alaikum before the Azan starts. After Azan, the Imam cannot say Salam because after Azan , the Friday sermon starts and it is not allowed to talk to anyone or reply to anyone during the sermon.
Jazak Allahay Khairan for reading . May Allah (SWT) make it beneficial for all of us and all our familes .Ameen [ Allahumma Sallay Ala Muhammad ew wa Ala Ale Muhammad ew wabarik wa sallam ] You might also be interested to read Istikhara dua
