Greetings Salam

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا تَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا، وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا، أَوَلَا أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِذَا فَعَلْتُمُوهُ تَحَابَبْتُمْ؟ أَفْشُوا السَّلَامَ بَيْنَكُمْ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that none will enter Paradise except the believers, and faith will not be perfect and the Muslim society will not be in good condition unless they love one another. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) guided us to the best means of spreading love, namely spreading the greeting of peace among Muslims, as Allah has made peace a greeting for His slaves.

• Entering Paradise is contingent on faith.
• Perfect faith entails that a Muslim loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
• It is recommended to spread the greeting of peace and extend it among Muslims, as this results in spreading love and security between people.
• The greeting of peace is to be extended only to Muslims, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Among yourselves".
• Extending the greeting of peace eliminates division, abandonment, and rancor.
• The importance of love between Muslims, which is a part of perfect faith.
• Another Hadīth mentions that the complete form of the greeting of peace is: "As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh" (may the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you); however, it is sufficient to say: "As-salāmu ‘alaykum" (peace be upon you).

صحيح مسلم (1/ 74) (54). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 129). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل المبارك (ص515). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (4/ 394). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 661).

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا: أَنَّ رَجُلًا سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَيُّ الإِسْلاَمِ خَيْرٌ؟ قَالَ: «تُطْعِمُ الطَّعَامَ، وَتَقْرَأُ السَّلاَمَ عَلَى مَنْ عَرَفْتَ وَمَنْ لَمْ تَعْرِفْ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked: What qualities of Islam are the best? He mentioned two qualities: First: Feeding the poor frequently, and this includes charity, gifts, hospitality, and banquets. The merit of feeding others is even more emphatic during times of famine and the rise in prices. Second: Extending the greeting of peace to every Muslim, whether you know him or not.

• The Companions' keenness to learn about the qualities that bring benefit in this life and the Hereafter.
• Extending the greeting of peace and providing others with food are among the best deeds in Islam given their merit and the people's need for them at all times.
• These two qualities combine benevolence in words and deeds, which is the most perfect kind of benevolence.
• These qualities pertain to the way Muslims treat each other, and there are other qualities about the way one deals with his Lord.
• Initiating the greeting is solely for Muslims; thus, no greeting should be initiated with the disbeliever.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 12) (12). صحيح مسلم (1/ 65) (39). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 604). مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، لعلي القاري (7/ 2936).

عَن أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يُسَلِّمُ الرَّاكِبُ عَلَى المَاشِي، وَالمَاشِي عَلَى القَاعِدِ، وَالقَلِيلُ عَلَى الكَثِيرِ». وَلِلبُخَارِي: «يُسَلِّمُ الصَّغِيرُ عَلَى الكَبِيرِ، وَالمَارُّ عَلَى القَاعِدِ، وَالقَلِيلُ عَلَى الكَثِيرِ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) guides to the etiquette of extending the greeting of peace among people: "As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh" (may the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you). The young should greet the old, the one who is riding should greet the one walking, the one who is walking should greet the one sitting, and a small group of people should greet the large one.

• It is recommended to extend the greetings the way mentioned in the Hadīth. However, if the one who is walking greeted the one riding, or anything else of what is mentioned, it is permissible but it is contrary to what is perfect and best.
• Spreading the greeting of peace in the manner mentioned in the Hadīth leads to love and harmony.
• If they are equal and equivalent regarding what is mentioned in the Hadīth, the best among them is the one who initiates the greeting of peace.
• The perfection of this Shariah lies in clarifying everything that people need.
• Teaching the greeting etiquettes and giving each one his due right.

صحيح البخاري (8/ 52) (6232). صحيح مسلم (4/ 1703) (2160). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (11/ 280). بهجة الناظرين، تأليف: سليم الهلالي (2/ 137). نزهة المتقين، مجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 666). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (4/ 407). منار القاري، لحمزة قاسم (5/ 257). الأدب النبوي (ص159).

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: «حَقُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ خَمْسٌ: رَدُّ السَّلَامِ، وَعِيَادَةُ الْمَرِيضِ، وَاتِّبَاعُ الْجَنَائِزِ، وَإِجَابَةُ الدَّعْوَةِ، وَتَشْمِيتُ الْعَاطِسِ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentions some of the rights Muslims have toward one another. The first among these rights is to return the greeting of peace to the one who greets you. The second right is to visit the sick. The third right is to follow the funeral procession from the deceased person's home to the praying place and the cemetery until he is buried. The fourth right is to accept the invitation of someone who invites you to a wedding banquet and the like. The fifth right is to say tashmīt to a person who sneezes and praises Allah. Tashmīt is to say: yarhamuk Allah (may Allah show mercy to you). In response, the sneezing person should say: yahdīkum Allah wa yuslih bālakum (may Allah guide you and amend your condition).

• It shows the greatness of Allah, as it stresses the rights to be observed among Muslims and strengthens the brotherliness and love between them.

صحيح البخاري (2/ 71) (1240). صحيح مسلم (4/ 1704) (2162). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (4/ 512). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 327). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، مجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 253). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (2/ 591). بهجة قلوب الأبرار، لابن سعدي (ص81).