Greeting in Islam is very important, as a good muslims we should not leave on greetings. There are a certain virtue of greetings and how to express it. Greetings is a media for us to greet friends, relative, colleagues, and so forth.
As our role of social beings, greeting help us to start a connection with others. It’s like a door for someone to engage in introduction and conversation. Where further in Islam greeting also became a dua or prayer to others.
Rules of Greeting in Islam
Greeting in Islam contain a lot of virtues and it has been written in Al-Qur’an and Hadith on how the rules greeting in Islamic way.
- Saying Salaam
In Islam we greet each other with salaam, and has been a practice since the time of Rasulullah. The practice of Salaam has became a habits as well as a duty for muslims that must be practiced and spread among muslims in the world.
And it is recommended for muslims as the rules of greeting in Islam to say salaam fully, by saying
“Assalaamu ‘alaikum warahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu.”
(I hope salvation, affection, and blessing will be poured upon you)
Read also : importance of obedience in Islam
- Shake hands or embracing as greeting
Islam also teach muslims to shake hands when they meet friends, relative, colleagues as example by Rasulullah.
“If the companions of the Prophet sallallahaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam meet each other, then they shake hands, and when they come from travelling, they embrace each other.” (Narrated by Ath-Thabrani)
- It is wajib to reply greeting
To greet one another is mustahab in the rules of greetings in Islam, but wajib for muslims to reply the greeting. As mentioned in the following verse :
“And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet (in return) with one better that it or (at least) return it (in a like manner). Indeed, Allah is ever, over all things, an Accountant.” (QS. An-Nisa : 86)
Replying greeting is not only for manner but appreciate the one who initiate on greeting us. To keep a good relationship with other is the basic though in Islam. To reply greetings there are two ways, either muslims could return it like the exact same greeting or muslims could add on to it, and it was better in the view of Islam.
- Greeting before entering the house
It is a common manner if we want to entering a house both our house or other people’s house we should knock or greeting. The purpose is that we let the owner knew if we are coming and want to visit them. As written in the following verse:
“O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than your own houses until you ascertain welcome and greet their inhabitants. That is best for you; perhaps you will be reminded. And if you do not find anyone therein, do not enter them until permission has been given you. And if it is said to you, ‘Go back’, then go back, it is purer for you. And Allah is Knowing of what you do.” (QS. An-Nur : 27-28)
Greeting before entering someone house also avoid muslims from the bad deeds or prejudice from others. Also read : ways to earn good deeds in Islam
“If a man takes the name of Allah when he enters his home and before he eats, the satan says to his companions, ‘There is no accommodation or food for you here.” (Narrated by Muslim)
Thus saying greeting before entering house is highly recommended since it could chase away satan, protect our house from evil, and fill our house with peace.
- Greeting has a lot of virtues
Greetings grant muslims a lot of virtues as listed by scholar Mufti Shafi Uthmani :
- Greetings is a form of remembering Allah
- A method to express care and attachment to another muslims
- A statement that we are friendly and does not want to cause any harm to the one we greet
- Greeting also a form a good intention from fellow muslims
“Rasulullah SAW, instructed us to do seven things. He instructed us to visit the sick, to join funeral proccessions, to bless people who sneeze, to help the weak, to help the wronged, to accept invitations, to return greeting, and to fufill our oaths.” (Narrated by Bukhari)
Also read : concept of love in Islam
- It is makruh to greet someone who is in a condition of praying
When other person still perform prayer it is makruh to greet them or not better not to do that since it may cause a distraction in their prayer.
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- Greetings should be done with an affection
As mentioned before that greeting is a form of care and attachment that is why muslims should greet other muslim in affection.
“Should i not inform you of an action, which if you practice upon, it will engender mutual love? Make the saying of Salaam common among yourselves.” (Narrated by Muslim)
Nowadays, we could see that many crimes happened, caring and love among human increasingly disappearing and greeting is a way to create love among mankind. From a single little step of greeting may increase love among our communities.
- The longer the greetings is better
Put more efforts into something and trying to give the best is recommended in Islam, including when someone want to give a greeting. Imran Ibn Husayn (RA) said,
“A man entered the gathering of Rasulullah SAW and said ‘Assalaamu ‘alaikum’, Rasulullah SAW replied to the Salaam, and the person sat down. Later Rasulullah said ‘Ten’. A short while later, a second person came and said ‘Assalaamu ‘alaikum warahmat’ Rasulullah SAW replied to the Salaam and the person sat down. Rasulullah then said, ‘Twenty’. A short while later, a third person came and said ‘Assalaamu ‘alaikum warahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu’ Rasulullah SAW replied to the Salaam, and the person sat down. Rasulullah then said, ‘Thirty.” (Narrated by Abu Dawud)
The hadith above give us as muslim an example that if we want to get a greater reward of what we do, then we should try to optimise our deeds. Those three kind of greeting is correct but the full one is the best for us as the rule of greeting in Islam. Also read : concept of thanksgiving in Islam
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- Greeting must be addressed to everyone
Rasulullah said in the following hadith,
“Feeding people, and greeting people whom you know as well as those whom you don’t know.” (Narrated by Abu Dawud)
Even if we don’t know the person we should greet him like we greet our acquaintances.
Other rules of greeting in Islam is mentioned as following list :
- It is not allowed for muslims who is performing prayer to give greeting to other person (intentionally initiate to greet)
- Saying salaam to non-muslim is Makruh, but greeting with another way is allowed. And if non-muslim say salaam to you better to reply with ‘alaikum‘ or ‘salaam’ according to Ihtiyat Wajib.
- It is mustahab for muslims who is riding to greet muslims who is walking, the one who is standing greet the one who is sitting, the younger greet the older one, and the small group people greet the large group of people.
- It is makruh for a man to say salaam to a woman
- Recommended to say greeting to child
- Reply greeting with a gesture is allowed if the one greet us is deaf or in a rush
- Muslims is allowed to greet someone by standing if necessary such as to help an older muslims or to give condolences. Also read : virtues of truthfulness in Islam