Greeting in Islam – The Beauty of Saying “Assalamu Alaikum” In Islam, greeting others with peace is not just a form of politeness — it is an act of worship and a means of spreading love among Muslims. The greeting “Assalamu Alaikum” (السلام عليكم) means “Peace be upon you.” It is a powerful phrase that carries blessings, brotherhood, and a reminder of unity in faith. 🌿 The Sunnah of Greeting The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ emphasized the importance of greeting others with peace. He ﷺ said: “You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you something that, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread the greeting of peace among you.”(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 54) This shows that greeting others with Assalamu Alaikum is a key to strengthening bonds of love and faith among Muslims. 🌸 How to Greet Properly The proper Islamic way to greet another Muslim is by saying: “Assalamu Alaikum” – Peace be upon you. The reply should be: “Wa Alaikum Assalam” – And peace be upon you too. If someone says: “Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh”(Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you) Then it is recommended to reply with: “Wa Alaikum Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.” Allah ﷻ says in the Qur’an: “When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally.”(Surah An-Nisa, 4:86) 🌷 Stories from the Sunnah One beautiful example from the life of the Prophet ﷺ is when a man came and said, “Assalamu Alaikum,” and the Prophet ﷺ replied and said: “Ten good deeds (rewards).”Another man came and said, “Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah,” and the Prophet ﷺ said:“Twenty good deeds.”Then another man came and said, “Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,” and the Prophet ﷺ said:“Thirty good deeds.”(Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith 5195) This shows that even in greeting, Allah rewards us abundantly depending on how much peace and blessing we wish for others. 🌺 Greeting Brings Barakah (Blessings) Greeting others with Assalamu Alaikum removes hatred, brings hearts together, and earns Allah’s pleasure. Whether it’s someone you know or a stranger, greeting them is a Sunnah that revives love and unity in the Ummah. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The one who is riding should greet the one who is walking; the one who is walking should greet the one who is sitting; and the smaller group should greet the larger group.”(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6234; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2160) 🎧 Listen to Molana Umar Faruq (Leicester) To gain a deeper understanding of the importance of greetings in Islam, listen to Molana Umar Faruq from Leicester.He beautifully explains how a simple “Assalamu Alaikum” can change hearts, bring rewards, and build unity among Muslims. 🎥 Watch or listen to the attached audio/video below. 🤲 Final Message Let us make it a habit to greet every Muslim with a warm and sincere “Assalamu Alaikum”.It is not just a word — it’s a du‘a for peace, mercy, and blessings upon one another. “Spread peace, feed the poor, pray at night when others sleep, and you will enter Paradise in peace.”(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 3251) Islam Media CentralTopic: Greeting in IslamSpeaker: Molana Umar Faruq (Leicester)Tags: Islam, Sunnah, Greetings, Assalamu Alaikum, Brotherhood, Molana Umar Faruq
Don’t Ask Too Many Questions: A Powerful Lesson in Spiritual Etiquette
. Don’t Ask Too Many Questions: A Powerful Lesson in Spiritual Etiquette In an age of information overload, where every detail is at our fingertips, a profound teaching from the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) offers a timeless lesson in faith, humility, and spiritual well-being. He (ﷺ) said: “Do not ask me unnecessarily about the details of the things which I do not mention to you. Verily, the people before you were doomed because they were used to putting many questions to their Prophets and had differences about their Prophets. Refrain from what I forbid you and do what I command you to the best of your ability and capacity.” — Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim This hadith, recorded by the two most authentic compilers, is not just a historical statement. It is a living principle that can transform our approach to faith and save us from unnecessary hardship. Unpacking the Wisdom: Beyond Simple Curiosity At first glance, the hadith might seem to discourage seeking knowledge. On the contrary, Islam highly encourages the pursuit of knowledge. So, what is being discouraged here? The Prophet (ﷺ) is warning against excessive, hypothetical, and unnecessary questioning about matters that are not essential to our practice and belief. This is about the etiquette of seeking knowledge. Let’s break down the core messages: “Refrain from what I forbid you and do what I command you to the best of your ability and capacity.” This is the beautiful simplicity of Islam. Our success lies not in knowing the answer to every hypothetical question, but in: · Obedience (Imita’): Staying away from what is clearly forbidden.· Action (Amal): Sincerely fulfilling what is commanded.· Sincerity (Ikhlas): Doing so to the best of our personal ability and capacity. How Can We Apply This Today? In our modern context, this hadith is more relevant than ever. · On Social Media: Avoid getting drawn into endless, unproductive debates about minor scholarly differences. It breeds division and hatred, exactly what the Prophet (ﷺ) warned against.· In Personal Practice: Focus on perfecting your prayer, being honest in your dealings, maintaining family ties, and giving charity. Don’t let the pursuit of advanced knowledge make you neglect these fundamental pillars.· In Seeking Knowledge: Ask questions that lead to clarity and action. Instead of “What if I miss a prayer in a spaceship?”, focus on “How can I improve the concentration in my daily prayers?” A Final Reflection This hadith is a mercy from Allah. It protects the Ummah from extremism, division, and self-imposed difficulty. It calls us back to the essence of faith: sincere submission and practical action. Let us strive to be people of action, not just people of endless questions. Let us build our faith on the solid foundation of what has been clearly commanded and forbidden, trusting that in this simplicity lies true peace, unity, and divine acceptance. May Allah grant us the wisdom to know what to ask, the humility to accept what we are told, and the strength to act upon what we know. Ameen.
The Greeting of Peace: A Divine Increment in Rewards
The Greeting of Peace: A Divine Increment in Rewards The hadith narrated by Haḍrat Imrān ibn Ḥusayn (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhumā) is a profound and elegant teaching from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that illuminates the spiritual and social significance of the Islamic greeting. It is more than a simple narration; it is a lesson in the power of words, the generosity of divine reward, and the cultivation of a compassionate community. The Hadith Text and Its Immediate Meaning The sequence described is clear and deliberate: 1. The First Man: Greets with “As-Salāmu ‘Alaykum” (Peace be upon you). The Prophet ﷺ responds and then announces: “Ten rewards.”2. The Second Man: Enhances the greeting to “As-Salāmu ‘Alaykum wa Raḥmatullāh” (Peace and the Mercy of Allah be upon you). The Prophet ﷺ responds and says: “Twenty rewards.”3. The Third Man: Offers the most complete form: “As-Salāmu ‘Alaykum wa Raḥmatullāhi wa Barakātuh” (Peace, the Mercy of Allah, and His Blessings be upon you). The Prophet ﷺ responds and declares: “Thirty rewards.” At its most immediate level, the hadith establishes a direct correlation between the comprehensiveness of the salutation and the spiritual reward it attracts. Each additional phrase—invoking Allah’s Raḥmah (Mercy) and Barakāh (Blessings)—multiplies the divine recompense. Deeper Lessons and Insights Beyond the arithmetic of rewards, this hadith contains layers of wisdom: 1. The Principle of Divine Generosity (Jūd):Allah is Al-Karīm(The Most Generous). This hadith demonstrates that His system of reward is not meager but abundant and encouraging. He could have simply commanded the best form of greeting, but instead, He, through His Prophet ﷺ, showed a gradation—meeting people where they are and encouraging them to do better through the promise of increased reward. This reflects the merciful nature of Islamic law, which often elevates and encourages rather than just commands and forbids. 2. Salām as a Du’a (Supplication) and a Social Act:The greeting ofSalām is not merely a “hello.” It is a powerful prayer you offer to your fellow Muslim. You are sincerely asking Allah to grant that person safety, peace, divine mercy, and abundance. By elongating the greeting, one is essentially expanding the scope of this beautiful prayer for their brother or sister. The Prophet’s ﷺ commentary teaches us to be conscious of the weight our words carry. 3. Cultivating a Culture of Love and Goodwill:Imagine a society where every encounter begins not with a transactional or casual greeting,but with a sincere prayer for the other’s well-being. This was the society the Prophet ﷺ built. By encouraging this enhanced greeting, he was fostering an environment of mutual care, love, and spiritual connection. When you pray for peace, mercy, and blessings upon others, you soften your own heart and diminish feelings of envy or hatred. 4. The Etiquette of Initiation and Response:The hadith also subtly reinforces the Sunnah of initiating theSalām and the obligation of responding to it. The Prophet ﷺ meticulously returned each greeting, showing that no matter how simple or elaborate the Salām, it deserves a full and respectful response. In fact, the Quran mandates that the response should be “better than or at least equal to” the original greeting (Surah An-Nisa, 4:86). The response “Wa ‘Alaykum as-Salām wa Raḥmatullāhi wa Barakātuh” is precisely that—a better or equal return. 5. A Reflection of a Believer’s State:The three levels can also be seen as reflecting the spiritual state of the one greeting.The basic Salām is the foundation of faith. Adding Raḥmatullāh reflects a heart that seeks and acknowledges the need for Allah’s all-encompassing mercy. Including Barakātuh demonstrates a desire for not just safety and mercy, but for lasting goodness, growth, and divine grace in every aspect of life. It is the greeting of one who seeks comprehensive goodness for themselves and others. Conclusion: A Practical Spirituality This hadith from Sunan Abī Dāwūd is a masterpiece of practical spirituality. It takes an everyday, universal action—greeting another person—and infuses it with profound spiritual meaning and immense divine reward. It teaches us that excellence in Islam (Iḥsān) can be found in the simplest of acts. Therefore, a Muslim is encouraged to consciously adopt the complete form of the greeting: “As-Salāmu ‘Alaykum wa Raḥmatullāhi wa Barakātuh.” In doing so, they not only secure a greater reward for themselves but also contribute to building a community bound by prayers, peace, and mutual goodwill, exactly as our beloved Prophet ﷺ intended. It is a small change in habit that carries the weight of immense blessings, transforming a common social exchange into an act of worship and a means of drawing closer to the Divine.