The Book on Salutations and Greetings

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The rider should first greet the pedestrian, and the pedestrian the one who is seated and a small group should greet a larger group (with as-Salam-u-'Alaikum).

Abu Talha reported: While we were sitting in front of the houses and talking amongst ourselves, Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) happened to come there. He stood by us and said: What about you and your meetings on the paths? Avoid these meetings on the paths. We said: We were sitting here without (any intention of doing harm to the passers-by) ; we are sitting to discuss matters and to hold conversation amongst ourselves. Thereupon he said: If there is no help (for you but to sit on these paths), then give the paths their rights and these are lowering of the gaze, exchanging of greetings and good conversation.

Abu Sa'id Khudri reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: Avoid sitting on the paths. They (the Companions) said: Allah's Messenger, we cannot help but holding our meetings (in these paths) and discuss matters (there). Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: If you insist on holding meetings, then give the path its due right. They said: What are its due rights? Upon this he said: Lowering the gaze, refraining from doing harm, exchanging of greetings. commanding of good and forbidding from evil.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zaid b. Aslam with the same chain of transmitters.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Five are the rights of a Muslim over his brother: responding to salutation, saying Yarhamuk Allah when anybody sneezes and says al-Hamdulillah, visiting the sick. following the bier. ' Abd al-Razzaq said that this hadith has been transmitted as mursal hadith from Zuhri and he then substantiated it on the authority of Ibn Musayyib.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Six are the rights of a Muslim over another Muslim. It was said to him: Allah's Messenger, what are these? Thereupon he said: When you meet him, offer him greetings;when he invites you to a feast accept it. when he seeks your council give him, and when he sneezes and says:" All praise is due to Allah," you say Yarhamuk Allah (may Allah show mercy to you) ; and when he fails ill visit him; and when he dies follow his bier.

Anas b. Malik reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: When the People of the Book offer you salutations, you should say: The same to you.

Anas reported that the Companions of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said to him: The People. of the Book offer us salutations (by saying as-Salamu- 'Alaikum). How should we reciprocate them? Thereupon he said: Say: Wa 'Alaikum (and upon you too).

Ibn 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: When the Jews offer you salutations, some of them say as-Sam-u-'Alaikum (death be upon you). You should say (in response to it): Let it be upon you.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Umar through another chain of transmitters with a slight variation of wording.

'A'isha reported that a group of Jews came to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and sought his audience and said: As-Sam-u-'Alaikum. A'isha said in response: As-Sim-u-'Alaikum (death be upon you) and curse also, whereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: 'A'isha, verily Allah loes kindness in every matter. She said: Did you bear what they said? Thereupon he said: Did you not hear that I said (to them): Wa 'Alaikum.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Zuhri that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: I said 'Alaikam, and the transmitter did not make mention of the word" and".

'A'isha reported that some Jews came to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) and they said: Abu'l-Qasim (the Kunya of the Holy Prophet), as-Sam-u-'Alaikum, whereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Wa 'Alaikum. A'isha reported: In response to these words of theirs, I said: But let there be death upon you and disgrace also, whereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: 'A'isha, do not use harsh words. She said: Did you hear what they said? Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Did I not respond to them when they said that; I said to them: Wa'Alaikum (let it be upon you).

This hadith has been reported on the authority of A'znash with a slight variation of wording. 'A'isha understood their meaning and cursed them and Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: 'A'isha. (do not do that) for Allah does not like the use of harsh words, and it was at this stage that this verse of Allah. the Exalt. ed and Glorious. was revealed:" And when they come to thee, they greet thee with a greeting with which Allah greets thee not" (Iviii. 8) to the end of the verse.

Jabir b. Abdullah reported that some people from amongst the Jews said to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) Abu'l-Qasim. as-Sam-u-'Alaikum, whereupon he said: Wa 'Alaikum, A'isha was enraged and asked him (Allah's Apostle) whether he had not heard what they had said. He said, I did hear and I retorted to them (and the curse that I invoked upon them would receive response from Allah), but (the curse that they invoked upon us) would not be responded.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) 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.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Suhail with the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording. The hadith transmitted on the authority of Waki', the words are 'When you meet the Jews." And in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Shu'ba, the words are: 'When you meet the People of the Book." And in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Jarir the words are:" When you meet them," but none amongst the polytheists has been mentioned explicitly by name.

Anas b. Malik reported that when Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) happened to pass by young boys he would great them. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Sayyar with the same chain of transmitters.

Sayyar reported: I was walking with Thibit al-Bunani that he happened to pass by children and he greeted them. And Thibit reported that he walked with Anas and he happened to pass by children and he greeted them. and Anas reported that he walked with Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon. him) and he happened, to pass by children and he greeted them.

Ibn Mas'ud reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said to me: The sign that you have been permitted to come in is that the curtain is raised or that you hear me speaking quietly until I forbid you.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of 'Ubaidullah with the same chain of transmitters.

A'isha reported that Sauda (Allah he pleated with her) went out (in the fields) in order to answer the call of nature even after the time when veil had been prescribed for women. She had been a bulky lady, significant in height amongst the women, and she could not conceal herself from him who had known her. 'Umar b. Khattab saw her and said: Sauda, by Allah, you cannot conceal from us. Therefore, be careful when you go out. She ('A'isha) said: She turned back. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) was at that time in my house having his evening meal and there was a bone in his hand. She (Sauda) cline and said: Allah's Messenger. I went out and 'Umar said to me so and so. She ('A'isha) reported: There came the revelation to him and then it was over; the bone was then in his hand and he had not thrown it and he said:" Permission has been granted to you that you may go out for your needs."

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Hisham with the same chain of transmitters, and the words are: She (Sauda) was a woman who looked to be significant amongst the people (so far as the bulk of her) body was concerned. The rest of the hadith is the same.

'A'isha reported that the wives of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) used to go out in the cover of night when they went to open fields (in the outskirts of Medina) for easing themselves. 'Umar b Khattab used to say: Allah's Messenger, ask your ladies to observe veil, but Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) did not do that. So there went out Sauda, daughter of Zarn'a, the wife of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), during one of the nights when it was dark. She was a tall statured lady. 'Umar called her saying: Sauda, we recognise you. (He did this with the hope that the verses pertaining to veil would be revealed.) 'A'isha said: Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, then revealed the verses pertaining to veil.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Ibn Shihab with the same chain of transmitters.