Question 369: Is it okay to greet those Muslims with “As Salam O Alaikum” who reply it with “Hi”? Ways to greet in Islam?
Answer 369: Salman Farsi (ra) narrated: A man went to the holy Prophet and said: Peace (salaam) be upon you ‘O the messenger of Allah. The prophet replied: Peace and blessing of Allah be upon you. Another man came and said: Peace and blessing of Allah be upon you, ‘O the messenger of Allah. The Prophet replied: Peace and blessing of Allah be upon you. Another one came and said: Peace, mercy and blessing of Allah be upon you, ‘O the messenger of Allah. The Prophet only replied: same to you! The man said: May my parents be ransom upon you, ‘O the messenger of Allah, when others came and saluted you, You added more in reply to them, but me! The Prophet said: Because, you have said everything you should say.
He has also said: In the holy Quran Allah, the Almighty says: “When you are greeted with a salute, greet with a better one than it, or return it; indeed Allah takes account of all things”.[1]
The Arabic version of this Hadith:
الدرُّ المنثورُ عَن سَلمانِ الفارسيِّ : جاءَ رَجُلٌ إلى النبيِّ صلى الله عليه و آله فقالَ : السلامُ علَيكَ يا رسولَ اللّه ِ ، فقالَ : و علَيكَ و رَحمَةُ اللّه ِ ، ثُمّ أتى آخَرُ فقالَ : السلامُ علَيكَ يا رسولَ اللّه ِ و رَحمَةُ اللّه ِ ، فقالَ : و علَيكَ و رَحمَةُ اللّه ِ و بَرَكاتُهُ ، ثُمّ جاءَ آخَرُ فقالَ : السلامُ علَيكَ و رَحمَةُ اللّه ِ و بَركاتُهُ ، فقالَ لَهُ : و علَيكَ ، فقالَ لَهُ الرَّجُلُ : يا نَبِيَّ اللّه ِ ـ بِأبي أنتَ و اُمّي ـ أتاكَ فُلانٌ و فُلانٌ فَسَلَّما علَيكَ فَرَدَدتَ علَيهِما أكثَرَ مِمّا رَدَدتَ عَلَيَّ ! فقالَ : إنَّكَ لَم تَدَعْ لَنا شيئا ، قالَ اللّه ُ : و إذا حُيِّيتمُ بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّوا بِأحسَنَ مِنها أو رُدُّوها فَرَدَدناها علَيكَ.
Imam Sadiq (as) says: If one says: Peace be upon you, he will be given ten rewards. If one says: Peace and blessing of Allah be upon you, he will be given twenty rewards and if one says Peace and blessing and mercy of Allah be upon you, he will be given thirty rewards.[2]
The Arabic version of this Hadith:
عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْمُنْذِرِ قَالَ 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.
Therefore, if we are greeted with a salute (like Hi), we are supposed to greet with a better one than it, according to the holy Quran and sayings of the Infallibles (pbuth).
According to some scholars, it is makruh for a man or woman to greet a non-Mahram, though, according to others, there would be no problem in it if there is no fear of sin.[3]
Note: There are exceptions to this teaching though, greeting non-Muslims being one of them. In jurisprudential books, greeting non-Muslims has been deemed as makruh: “When responding to the greetings of a non-Muslim, keep it short [by saying ‘alayk’ or ‘alaykum’].”[4]
According to some scholars, greeting with Kafir is impermissible when it is not necessary.[5] But, if it helps you invite him to Islam there would be no problem in it.[6]
For further information, please read the following answers:
Index: Greeting with Salam is mustahab responding to it is wajib, answer 062.
Index: Giving Salam or response to ones salam during Khutbah, answer 135.
[1] . Surah al-Nisa, verse 86; Tafsir al-Tabari, Tafsir Surah al-Nisa, Pgs. 586-590, Q 10044; Al-Durrul Manthur, Vol. 2, Pg. 605.
[2] . Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn, Vol. 1, Pg. 526; al-Kafi, Vol. 2, Pg. 645; Wasael al-Shia, Vol. 12, Pg. 66.
[3] . Al-Hadaeq al-Nadhera, Vol. 9, Pg. 83; Mustand al-Shia, Vol. 7, Pg. 73; al-Urwatul Wuthqa, Vol. 3, Pg. 25; Majma al-Faeda, Vol. 3, Pg. 120; Ghanaem al-Ayyam, Vol. 3, Pg. 237.
[4] See: Fazel Lankarani, Muhammad, Ahkame Javanan, p. 182, Amir Qalam Press, Qum, 1427 AH; Tabatabai Yazdi, Sayyid Muhammad Kadhim, Al-Urwat al-Wuthqa ma’a Ta’liqat al-Fazel, vol. 1, p. 536, Aimmah Athaar Jurisprudential Center, Qum, without date of publication.
[5] . Al-Hadaeq al-Nadhera, Vol. 9, Pgs. 84-85; Mustand al-Shia, Vol. 7, Pg. 74.
[6] . The official website of the office of Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi.