Fatwa ID: 07966
Answered by Maulana Abdoullah Limvoonheek
Question:
It’s often said that if a non Muslim says As Salam u Alaikum to a Muslim, the reply should be Wa A Laikum. The evidence presented for this is the Hadith in which it is mentioned that Jews used to greet the Prophet and his companions by saying As Saamu Alaikum. Is this a correct reasoning? Obviously, one is said with evil intentions and by twisting the word while the other is said to show respect towards diversity and Islamic culture. Is there some other evidence for this ruling?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
The universal greeting of peace and blessing is how muslim greet one another with ‘Assalamualaikum’. In this way a person will attain reward. Salam is reversing and honoring a person which should not be for the case of non muslim.
In the time of Our Nabi, the Jews had peace agreement with the muslim. But the Jews are well known for their treachery and mischief. They were plotting against Our Nabi to hurt and harm him or even to bring an end to his life.
In the Quran Allah says (Surah Mujadalah Ayah8): “when they come to you, they greet you the way Allah does not greet you, and say to themselves, “Why does Allah not punish us for what we say?” Enough for them is Jahannam (Hell)”
The Jews were invoking curse upon Our Nabi by twisting their tongue instead of saluting him appropriately. Thus a person not saying the salam properly it can result in other meaning. The same reasoning will therefore be apply.
When it comes to non muslim, one should not initiate the salam. If they greet with salam, the reply should be ‘Wa Alayk’. If a person reply the full salam to a non muslim thinking Allah may guide him, it will be fine.
Only Allah knows best
Written by Maulana Abdoullah Limvoonheek
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
Reference:
Mariful Quran Surah Mujadalah Ayah 8
وَاِذَا جَآءُوۡكَ حَيَّوۡكَ بِمَا لَمۡ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ اللّٰهُۙ وَيَقُوۡلُوۡنَ فِىۡۤ اَنۡفُسِهِمۡ لَوۡلَا يُعَذِّبُنَا اللّٰهُ بِمَا نَقُوۡلُؕ حَسۡبُهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُۚ يَصۡلَوۡنَهَاۚ فَبِئۡسَ الۡمَصِيۡرُ
أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ إِذَا سَلَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ فَقُولُوا وَعَلَيْكُمْ ”
Sahih Bukhari hadith 6258
عَنْ سُهَيْلِ بْنِ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، قَالَ خَرَجْتُ مَعَ أَبِي إِلَى الشَّامِ فَجَعَلُوا يَمُرُّونَ بِصَوَامِعَ فِيهَا نَصَارَى فَيُسَلِّمُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَالَ أَبِي لاَ تَبْدَءُوهُمْ بِالسَّلاَمِ فَإِنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ حَدَّثَنَا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ لاَ تَبْدَءُوهُمْ بِالسَّلاَمِ وَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُوهُمْ فِي الطَّرِيقِ فَاضْطَرُّوهُمْ إِلَى أَضْيَقِ الطَّرِيقِ ”
Sunan Abi dawood hadith 5205
لَكِنْ فِي الشِّرْعَةِ إذَا سَلَّمَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ فَلْيَقُلْ: السَّلَامُ عَلَى مَنْ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَى وَكَذَلِكَ يَكْتُبُ فِي الْكِتَابِ إلَيْهِمْ اهـ. وَفِي التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: إذَا كَتَبْتَ إلَى يَهُودِيٍّ أَوْ نَصْرَانِيٍّ فِي حَاجَةٍ فَاكْتُبْ السَّلَامُ عَلَى مَنْ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَى اهـ
التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة: لِأَنَّ النَّهْيَ عَنْ السَّلَامِ لِتَوْقِيرِهِ وَلَا تَوْقِيرَ إذَا كَانَ السَّلَامُ لِحَاجَةٍ
…
(قَوْلُهُ فَلَا بَأْسَ بِالرَّدِّ) الْمُتَبَادَرُ مِنْهُ أَنَّ الْأَوْلَى
عَدَمُهُ ط لَكِنْ فِي التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة، وَإِذَا سَلَّمَ أَهْلُ الذِّمَّةِ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْهِمْ الْجَوَابَ وَبِهِ نَأْخُذُ.
(قَوْلُهُ وَلَكِنْ لَا يَزِيدُ عَلَى قَوْلِهِ وَعَلَيْك) لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ يَقُولُ: السَّامُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَيْ الْمَوْتُ كَمَا قَالَ بَعْضُ الْيَهُودِ لِلنَّبِيِّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – فَقَالَ لَهُ ” وَعَلَيْك ” فَرَدَّ دُعَاءَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَفِي التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: يَقُولُ الْمُسْلِمُ وَعَلَيْك يَنْوِي بِذَلِكَ السَّلَامَ لِحَدِيثٍ مَرْفُوعٍ إلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «إذَا سَلَّمُوا عَلَيْكُمْ فَرُدُّوا عَلَيْهِمْ» ” (قَوْلُهُ تَبْجِيلًا) قَالَ فِي الْمِنَحِ قَيَّدَ بِهِ لِأَنَّهُ لَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ كَذَلِكَ بَلْ كَانَ لِغَرَضٍ مِنْ الْأَغْرَاضِ الصَّحِيحَةِ فَلَا بَأْسَ بِهِ وَلَا كُفْرَ
(قَوْلُهُ إنْ نَوَى بِقَلْبِهِ) وَأَمَّا إنْ لَمْ يَنْوِ شَيْئًا يُكْرَهُ كَمَا فِي الْمُحِيطِ وَذَكَرَ الْبِيرِيُّ أَخْذًا مِنْ نَظَائِرِهَا أَنَّهُ لَا يُكْرَهُ وَلَيْسَ بَعْدَ النَّصِّ إلَّا الرُّجُوعُ إلَيْهِ وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ الذِّمِّيَّ لَيْسَ بِقَيْدٍ ط
رد المحتار ج٦ ص٤١٣
