{"_id":"668da0390b76658b4c23317e","title":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"Can we greet non-Muslims with \\\"assalamu alaykum\\\"?\"}]}","question":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"Can we give salaam to non-Muslims who have not wronged us or cursed Islam? And what do we say when they give us salaam?\"}]}","answer":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"The scholars have disagreed on the issue of giving the islamic greeting “al-salām ʿalaikum” to non-Muslims. The opinions held by scholars range from haram to makruh to mubah. Some scholars reasoned that initiating the islamic greeting to them serves to show them respect and reverence that should be reserved for those who have embraced Islam. This does not mean that we do not offer them different customary greetings like good morning, good afternoon, etc.\\n\\n\\nAllah tells us in the Quran: \"},{\"attributes\":{\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\"Allah does not forbid you from dealing kindly and fairly with those who have neither fought nor driven you out of your homes. Surely Allah loves those who are fair. [60:8] \"},{\"insert\":\"In addition to the above verse, there are many hadiths commanding and warning the Muslims in stern language to not mistreat them.\\n\\nWe also have the noble example set forth by our beloved Prophet in his treatment of non-Muslims. Other scholars referred to the hadith in which the Prophet ﷺ said: “Do not initiate the greeting of salam to a Jew or a Christian.” [Muslim] However, those scholars who permitted it argued that this hadith is specific to a particular event, and it should not be taken unconditionally. The event they are referring to is when the Jewish tribe of Bani Quraiẓa betrayed the pact they had with the Muslims. This is referenced in a hadith in the collection of imam Ahmed that on the way to the Jews of Bani Quraiẓa, the Prophet ﷺ said, “We are headed towards Jews, do not initiate the salam greeting with them, and if they greet you with the salam, then reply with ‘wa `alaikum’.” They also relied on narrations that some sahaba, like Ibn Masud and Ibn Abbas, used to greet them with salam.\\n\\nIt is important to note that there is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding the permissibility of initiating the Islamic greeting to non-Muslims. It is crucial to understand that scholars who consider it haram are basing their opinions on evidence and Sharia principles, and not on discriminatory attitudes. Given the scholarly disagreement, my suggestion would be to avoid using the Islamic greeting of salam and instead use customary greetings. Most non-Muslims do not expect the salam greeting from Muslims, and they do not take offense when it is not used. However, if you have non-Muslim family, co-workers, or acquaintances who feel offended when they are not greeted with salam, or if you hope that they may embrace Islam, then it may be appropriate to use the salam greeting to avoid alienating them. Responding when greeted with “l-salām ʿalaikum” by non-Muslims: Once again, there is a difference of opinion among scholars on how to respond to the greeting of non-Muslims.\\n\\nSome scholars believe that it is obligatory to respond with \\\"wa alaikum\\\" alone, while others maintain that we should respond with \\\"wa alaikum al-salam.\\\" The disagreement stems from a hadith in which a group of Jews greeted the Prophet ﷺ with the phrase \\\"al-sam alaikum\\\" (meaning \\\"death be upon you\\\"), to which Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) angrily responded with “death and damnation be upon you.” However, the Prophet ﷺ told her to take it easy and advised her to respond with \\\"wa alaikum,\\\" meaning \\\"and to you as well.\\\" Look at how tolerant the Prophet ﷺ was with the Jews who treated him with such disrespect. Look at the patience and self-restraint that he showed towards them, even when Muslims had the upper hand. How he even had to calm Aisha down when she had every right to be upset at them. Scholars such as Ibn al-Qayyim argue that this hadith was specific to the hateful practice of the Jews during that time, and that if a non-Muslim greets us with the proper greeting, we should respond in kind, as our Sharia demands that we be just and respond with the same greeting or better. This is in line with our Sharia's principles of justice and fairness.\"}]}","tags":[{"_id":"668d9fe30b76658b4c23280f","tag":"Relationships: Non-Muslims","count":95}],"createdOn":"2024-07-09T20:40:25.950Z"}