Friday, December 23, 2011

Importance of Greeting and the state of the Muslim Ummah


 بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Question: Should we still greet those who do not reply back to us?

Answer: The greeting of Salaam and the reply to it is a right of one Muslim upon another. There are many Aayaat in the Qur’aan where we have been commanded to greet each other, for e.g.:


{When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally. Certainly, Allaah is Ever a Careful Account Taker of all things.} [Surah al-Nisaa’ (4): 86]


Similarly, there are many Ahaadeeth on it. In fact, all the six books of Hadeeth maintain a separate chapter on greeting each other with the “Salaam”. This all shows the importance of it.


Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudree رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Beware! Avoid sitting on the roads.” They (the people) said: “O Allaah's Apostle! We can't help sitting (on the roads) as these are (our places) where we have talks.” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “If you refuse but to sit, then pay the road its right.” They said: “What is the right of the road, O Allaah's Apostle?” He said: “Lowering your gaze, refraining from harming others, returning greeting, and enjoining what is good, and forbidding what is evil.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]


Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “You shall not enter paradise so long as you do not affirm belief (in all those things which are the articles of faith) and you will not believe as long as you do not love one another. Should I not direct you to a thing which, if you do, will foster love amongst you: (i.e.) give currency to (the practice of paying salutation to one another by saying) as-salamu alaykum.” [Saheeh Muslim]


Rather it is from the best characteristics of a person that he greets the people:


Narrated `Abdullaah bin `Amr رضي الله عنهما: A man asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: “What sort of deeds or (what qualities of) Islam are good?” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم replied: “To feed (the poor) and greet those whom you know and those whom you do not know.” [Saheeh Bukhaaree]



The Companions keenness in spreading the Salaam

Abu Ja`far al-Raazee reported from Husain that Ibn `Umar رضي الله عنهما said: “I do not go outside, nor do I have any need to do so, except to give the salutation (Salaams) to the people and that they greet me back.”

Mu`mar narrated that Abi `Amr said: “I went outside with Ibn `Umar رضي الله عنهما, and he did not meet the young and the old except that he greeted them.”

[Siyar `alaam al-nubalaa’]


The sign before the Hour:

There are many, many Ahaadeeth on this. But it is one of the signs of the Hour that people will limit the “Salaams” to only those whom they know.

`Abdullaah ibn Mas`ood رضي الله عنه reported: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Verily! Among the signs of the Hour is that greeting (of Islam) is limited to those known only.” In another report: “A man will greet 'salaam' only to his intimate fellow.” [Musnad of Imaam Ahmad (6/35) and graded as “Hasan” by Shaikh Ahmad Shaakir. Shaikh al-Albaanee said in al-Saheehah (648): “The various chains make this narration strong”]


Tariq said: We were sitting with 'Abdullah when his doorkeeper came and said: 'The iqamah for the prayer has been given.' He got up and we got up as well and went to the Masjid. He saw the people doing rukoo` at the front of the Masjid. He said the takbir, bowed, and we went and did the same thing that he had done. Then a man rushed past and said: ‘Peace be upon you, Abu `Abdul-Rahmaan (kunya of Ibn Mas`ood).’ He said, ‘Allaah has spoken the truth and His Messenger conveyed the Message.’ When we finished the prayer, he returned and went back to his people. We remained sitting in out places, waiting for him until he came out. We said to each other: 'Which of us will ask him?' Tariq said: 'I will ask him,' and he did so. 'Abdullah said, 'From the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who said: “Before the Final Hour people will single out one individual for the greeting, commerce will increase until a woman helps her husband in business, people will sever their links with their relatives, knowledge will spread, false testimony will appear and true testimony will be concealed.” [Adab al-Mufrad of Imaam al-Bukhaaree (1049) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee. It was also reported by Imaam Ahmad (1-407-408) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh Ahmad Shaakir and by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (647) and he said: “It is Saheeh as per the condition of Imaam Muslim”]

So, on our part we should still greet the Muslims, irrespective of them replying or not.

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