Offering the Greeting of Peace

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ السَّلَامُ تَطَوُّعٌ وَ الرَّدُّ فَرِيضَةٌ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Offering the greeting of peace is voluntary, but answering it is obligatory. ’”

مَنْ بَدَأَ بِالْكَلَامِ قَبْلَ السَّلَامِ فَلَا تُجِيبُوهُ وَ قَالَ ابْدَءُوا بِالسَّلَامِ قَبْلَ الْكَلَامِ فَمَنْ بَدَأَ بِالْكَلَامِ قَبْلَ السَّلَامِ فَلَا تُجِيبُوهُ.

“If one begins speaking before offering the greeting of peace, do not speak to him.”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِاللَّهِ وَ بِرَسُولِهِ مَنْ بَدَأَ بِالسَّلَامِ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘A person who is closer to Allah and His Messenger is the one who initiates the offering of the greeting of peace.’”

كَانَ سَلْمَانُ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ يَقُولُ أَفْشُوا سَلَامَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ سَلَامَ اللَّهِ لَا يَنَالُ الظَّالِمِينَ.

“Salman, May Allah grant him favors, would say, ‘Offer the greeting of peace from Allah openly; the unjust do not receive the greeting of peace from Allah.’”

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يُحِبُّ إِفْشَاءَ السَّلَامِ.

“Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, loves offering the greeting of peace openly, loud and clearly.”

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ قَالَ إِنَّ الْبَخِيلَ مَنْ يَبْخَلُ بِالسَّلَامِ.

6. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from ibn Faddal from Mu’awiyah ibn Wahab from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘Really stingy is one who is stingy in offering the greeting of peace.’”

إِذَا سَلَّمَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَجْهَرْ بِسَلَامِهِ لَا يَقُولُ سَلَّمْتُ فَلَمْ يَرُدُّوا عَلَيَّ وَ لَعَلَّهُ يَكُونُ قَدْ سَلَّمَ وَ لَمْ يُسْمِعْهُمْ فَإِذَا رَدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَجْهَرْ بِرَدِّهِ وَ لَا يَقُولُ الْمُسَلِّمُ سَلَّمْتُ فَلَمْ يَرُدُّوا عَلَيَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ كَانَ عَلِيٌّ ع يَقُولُ لَا تَغْضَبُوا وَ لَا تُغْضِبُوا أَفْشُوا السَّلَامَ وَ أَطِيبُوا الْكَلَامَ وَ صَلُّوا بِاللَّيْلِ وَ النَّاسُ نِيَامٌ ت

“When anyone of you offers the greeting of peace he should say it loud and clear so he will not complain that no one answered his greeting of peace. He may have offered, but no one may have heard it and when any one of you answers the greeting he should say it loud and clear so that the one offering it will not say, ‘I

الْبَادِي بِالسَّلَامِ أَوْلَى بِاللَّهِ وَ بِرَسُولِهِ.

“The initiator of the offering of the greeting of peace is closer to Allah and His Messenger.”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَنْ قَالَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَهِيَ عَشْرُ حَسَنَاتٍ وَ مَنْ قَالَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ فَهِيَ عِشْرُونَ حَسَنَةً وَ مَنْ قَالَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ فَهِيَ ثَلَاثُونَ حَسَنَةً.

“(I offer) you to be in peace,” it is equal to ten good deeds. Saying, ‘(I offer) you to be in peace, and May Allah grant you favors,’ is equal to twenty good deeds. Saying, ‘(I offer) you to be in peace, and May Allah grant you favors and blessings,’ is equal to thirty good deeds.’”

ثَلَاثَةٌ تُرَدُّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَدَّ الْجَمَاعَةِ وَ إِنْ كَانَ وَاحِداً عِنْدَ الْعُطَاسِ يُقَالُ يَرْحَمُكُمُ اللَّهُ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ مَعَهُ غَيْرُهُ وَ الرَّجُلُ يُسَلِّمُ عَلَى الرَّجُلِ فَيَقُولُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ الرَّجُلُ يَدْعُو لِلرَّجُلِ فَيَقُولُ عَافَاكُمُ اللَّهُ وَ إِنْ كَانَ وَاحِداً فَإِنَّ مَعَهُ غَيْرَهُ.

“In three cases the ‘greeting’ is answered in a plural case even if there is only one person: for one’s sneezing, it is said, ‘May Allah grant you (plural) favor.’ when a man offers the ‘greeting of peace’ saying, ‘(I offer you to) be in peace’, the answer is ‘(I offer you to) be in peace,’ and when a man pleads before

كَانَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ ثَلَاثَةٌ لَا يُسَلَّمُونَ الْمَاشِي مَعَ الْجَنَازَةِ وَ الْمَاشِي إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ وَ فِي بَيْتِ الْحَمَّامِ‌[1].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) would say, ‘Three kinds of people do not offer greetings: one walking in funeral procession, one walking to attend Friday prayer and in the bathing places.’”

مِنَ التَّوَاضُعِ أَنْ تُسَلِّمَ عَلَى مَنْ لَقِيتَ.

“It is of humility to offer the greeting of peace to whomever you meet.”

مَرَّ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيٌّ ع بِقَوْمٍ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَالُوا عَلَيْكَ السَّلَامُ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ وَ مَغْفِرَتُهُ وَ رِضْوَانُهُ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع لَا تُجَاوِزُوا بِنَا مِثْلَ مَا قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ لِأَبِينَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ ع إِنَّمَا قَالُوا رَحْمَتُ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَكاتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ- أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ‌.

“Once Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) passed by a people and offered them the greeting of peace and they answered, ‘(We offer) you peace, May Allah grant you favors, blessings, forgiveness and His pleasure.’ Amir al-Mu’Minin (a.s.) said to them, ‘Do not say to us more than what the angels said to Ibrahim. Th

إِنَّ مِنْ تَمَامِ التَّحِيَّةِ لِلْمُقِيمِ الْمُصَافَحَةَ وَ تَمَامِ التَّسْلِيمِ عَلَى الْمُسَافِرِ الْمُعَانَقَةَ.

“The completion of greetings of peace for one at home is to shake hands and for one on a journey it is to hold him in one’s arms.”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ يُكْرَهُ لِلرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَقُولَ حَيَّاكَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ يَسْكُتَ حَتَّى يَتْبَعَهَا بِالسَّلَامِ.

“Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘It is undesirable for a man to say, “May Allah keep you living,” then remain silent without offering the greeting of peace thereafter.’”