People all over the world meet and greet each other. Different cultures prescribe different ways of greeting.
In some cultures, people shake hands while in some others people bow down and touch the feet of their elders.
In Brahmanism, for instance, the best form of greeting is by touching the feet of elders and seeking blessings from them.
Islam also prescribes detailed injunctions on greetings. However, unlike in most cultures, where minors are supposed to greet their elders first, in Islam, anyone can greet first.
In fact, according to a Hadith, when two people meet, the one who greets first gets more blessings than the other who just responds.
Many such important rules and etiquette of greeting people can be found in relevant verses of the Holy Quran and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as recorded in Sahih Hadiths.
Read this article to learn more about greetings in Islam.
How to Greet in Islam?
Islam recommends that one should respond to a greeting with a better greeting. The Holy Quran provides that when someone greets you, you should either return the same greeting or say something better.
And when you are greeted with a salutation, greet with one better than it, or return the same. Surely, Allah is the reckoner over everything.
Al-Quran 4:86
Hadiths on Greeting People in Islam
Abu Hurayra said, “When someone comes in and does not say, “As-Salamu Alaikum” (Peace be upon you),’ then say, ‘No,’ until he brings the key which is the greeting (salam).”
Sunan Ibn Majah 3695 It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: “a man entered the masjid, and the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) was sitting in a corner of the mosque. He prayed, then he came and greeted him with Salam(peace), and he said: ‘Wa ‘alaikassalm.”
Riyad as-Salihin 850 ‘Imran bin Husain (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: “As-Salamu ‘Alaikum (May peace be upon you). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) responded to his greeting and the man sat down. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Ten (meaning the man had earned the merit of ten good deeds).” Another one came and said: “As-Salamu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullah (May peace be upon you and the Mercy of Allah).” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) responded to his greeting and the man sat down. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Twenty.” A third one came and said: “As-Salamu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu (May peace be upon you and the Mercy of Allah and His Blessings).” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) responded to his greeting and the man sat down. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Thirty.” [Abu Dawud and At- Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hasan].
Riyad as-Salihin 845 Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “When Allah created Adam (ﷺ), He said to him: ‘Go and greet that company of angels who are sitting there – and then listen to what they are going to say in reply to your greetings because that will be your greeting and your offspring’s.’ Adam (ﷺ) said to the angels: ‘As-Salamu ‘Alaikum (May peace be upon you).’ They replied: ‘As-Salamu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullah (May peace be upon you and the Mercy of Allah).’ Thus adding in reply to him: ‘wa Rahmatullah (and the Mercy of Allah)’ to his greeting.”
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 295 Abdullah narrated: “The Prophet would say the Salam from his right and from his left (saying): (As-Salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah, as-Salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah) ‘Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy. Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy.'”
Spread the Greeting of Salam
The best way one can greet others in Islam is by saying, Salam. It is the act of sending peace, mercy, and blessing of Allah on the other person.
Sunan Ibn Majah 3693 It was narrated that Abu Umamah said: “Our Prophet(ﷺ) commanded us to spread (the greeting of) peace.”
Sunan Ibn Majah 3252 Abdullah bin ‘Umar used to say that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Spread (the greeting of) Salam, offer food (to the needy), and be brothers as Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has honored you.”
Sunan Ibn Majah 3694 It was narrated from Abdullah bin ‘Amr that the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said: “Worship the Most Merciful and spread (the greeting of) peace.'”
Riyad as-Salihin 1402 Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Whenever someone greets me, Allah returns the soul to my body (in the grave) and I return his greeting.”
Greeting Strangers
Islam prescribes greeting and feeding strangers.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6236 Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr: A man asked the Prophet, “What Islamic traits are the best?” The Prophet said, “Feed the people, and greet those whom you know and those whom you do not know.”
General Rules of Greeting People in Islam
As a general rule, Islam prescribes younger people greeting older people, a passer-by greeting the sitting one, and a small group of people greeting the larger group.
Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol 8, Book 74, Number 250: Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “The young should greet the old, the passer-by should greet the sitting one, and the small group of persons should greet the large group of persons.”
Muwatta Malik Book 53, Hadith 1 Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The one riding greets the one walking, and when one of a group of people gives a greeting, it is enough for all of them.”
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 994 Jabir said, “When two people walking meet, then the one who gives the greeting first is the better of them.”
One who Greets First is Better than Responder
In Islam, the one who initiates the greeting first is better than the other regardless of the age difference between the two.
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 994 Jabir said, “When two people walking meet, then the one who gives the greeting first is the better of them.”
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 1010 Abu Hurayra said, “Whoever meets his brother should greet him. If a tree or wall comes between them and then he meets him, he should greet him on the other side.”
Greeting Younger People
Prophet Muhammad (s) and his companions would greet children.
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 1043 Thabit al-Bannani reported that Anas ibn Malik walked by some children and greeted them. He said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to do that.”
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 1044 Abbas said, “I saw Ibn ‘Umar greet children in the schools.
Greeting Women
Islam disapproves of greeting young women.
Muwatta Malik Book 53, Hadith 2: Yahya related to me from Malik from Wahb ibn Kaysan that Muhammad ibn Amr ibn Ata said, “I was sitting with Abdullah ibn Abbas when a Yemeni man came in. He said, ‘Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessing’ (as-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu), and then he added something more to that. Ibn Abbas said (and at that time his eyesight had gone), ‘Who is this?’ People said, ‘This is a Yemeni who has come to see you,’ and they introduced him. Ibn Abbas said, ‘The greeting ends with the word blessing.’ ” Yahya said that Malik was asked, “Does one greet a woman?” He said, “As for an old woman, I do not disapprove of it. As for a young woman, I do not like it.”
Greeting Dead Persons
In Islam, it is recommended to greet the dead ask Allah to be merciful on them especially if one happens to be passing by a believer’s grave.
Sunan Ibn Majah 1547 It was narrated from Sulaiman bin Buraidah that his father said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to teach them, when they went out to the graveyard, to say: As-salamu ‘alaykum ahlad-diyar minal-mu’minina wal- muslimin, wa inna insha’ Allah bikum lahiqun, nas’alul-laha lana wa lakumul-‘afiyah (Peace be upon you, O inhabitants of the abodes, believers and Muslims, and we will join you soon if Allah wills. We ask Allah for well-being for us and for you).’”
Greeting Before Entering a Place
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 1066 Regarding the person who asks for permission to enter before he gives the greeting, Abu Hurayra said, “He is not given permission until he has first given the greeting.”
Full Greeting is with Hand Shake
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 968 Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib said, “Part of the full greeting is to shake your brother’s hand.”
Don’t Greet the one who is in Prayer
Sunan Ibn Majah 1019 It was narrated that ‘Abdullah said: “We would greet others during the prayer, and it was said to us: ‘During the prayer, one is preoccupied.’”
Make it Heard when You Greet
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 1005 Thabit ibn ‘Ubayd said, “I came to a group which included ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar who said, ‘When you greet, make it clearly audible, for it is a greeting from Allah containing great blessing.
Don’t Greet in Washrooms
Sunan Ibn Majah Book 1, Hadith 87 It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: “A man passed by the Prophet while he was urinating and greeted him with the Salam, and he did not return the greeting.”
Repeat Greetings if Required
Sahih al-Bukhari 6244 Narrated Anas: Whenever Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) greeted somebody, he used to greet him three times, and if he spoke a sentence, he used to repeat it thrice.
Greeting with Gesture
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 1104 Alqama said, “‘Abdullah used to greet the Persian grandees with a gesture.”
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 1004 Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah said, “They used to dislike a greeting made with the hand,” or he said, “He disliked greeting with the hand.”
Answering Greetings is a Duty
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 1040 Al-Hasan said, “Greeting is an act of obedience while the answer is a duty.”
Greeting Jews and Christians
Sahih al-Bukhari 6258 Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “If the people of the Scripture greet you, then you should say (in reply), ‘Wa’alaikum (And on you).”
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 1004 Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Return the greeting to whomever it is, Jew, Christian, or Magian. That is because Allah says, ‘When you are greeted with a greeting, greet with one better than it or return it.’ (4:86)”
Sunan Ibn Majah 3699 It was narrated from Abu ‘Abdur-Rahman Al Juhani that the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said: “I am riding to the Jews tomorrow. Do not initiate the greeting with them, and if they greet you, then say Wa ‘Alaikum (and also upon you)”
Muwatta Malik Book 53, Hadith 3 Yahya related to me from Malik from Abdullah ibn Dinar that Abdullah ibn Umar said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When a jew greets you and says ‘Death to you’ (as-samu Alaykum) say, ‘And to you.’ ” Yahya said, “Malik was asked whether a person who greeted a Jew or a Christian, should apologize for it. He said, ‘No’.”
Sahih Muslim 2167a Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Do not greet the Jews and the Christians before they greet you and when you meet any one of them on the roads force him to go to the narrowest part of it.
Jami` at-Tirmidhi Vol. 5, Book 41, Hadith 2739 Narrated Abu Musa: The Jews used to sneeze in the presence of the Prophet (ﷺ) hoping that he would say: ‘Yarhamukumullah (May Allah have mercy upon you).’ So he said: ‘Yahdikumullahu Wa Yuslihu Balakum (May Allah guide you and rectify your affairs).'”
Sunan Abi Dawud 5038 Narrated Abu Burdah: The Jews used to try to sneeze in the presence of the Prophet (ﷺ) hoping that he would say to them: “Allah have mercy on you!” but he would say: May Allah guide you and grant you well-being!
Greeting Gamblers and Chess Players
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 1019 Ali ibn ‘Abdullah was heard expressing his dislike for chess and said, “Do not greet someone who plays it. It is a kind of gambling.
