Sharh Riyad as-Saliheen by Ibn Uthaymeen — Volume 3 (شرح رياض الصالحين) — Page 776

Line-by-line translation · المعاني

وَيَنْبَغِي لِلْمُسْلِمِ أَنْ يَرْفَعَ صَوْتَهُ حَتَّى يُسْمَعَ، وَأَلَّا يُسَلِّمَ بِأَنْفِهِ، لِأَنَّ بَعْضَ النَّاسِ - نَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ لَنَا وَلَهُمُ الْهِدَايَةَ - يَكُونُ عِنْدَهُ كِبْرِيَاءُ، أَوْ عِنْدَهُ جَفَاءٌ، فَإِذَا لَاقَاكَ سَلَّمَ عَلَيْكَ بِأَنْفِهِ، لَا تَكَادُ تَسْمَعُهُ، هَذَا خِلَافُ إِفْشَاءِ السَّلَامِ، إِفْشَاءُ السَّلَامِ أَنْ تَرْفَعَ صَوْتَكَ وَتَجْهَرَ بِهِ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ، قَالَ الْعُلَمَاءُ: إِلَّا إِذَا سَلَّمَ عَلَى قَوْمٍ أَيْقَاظٍ بَيْنَهُمْ نِيَامٌ، فَلَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَرْفَعَ صَوْتَهُ رَفْعًا يَسْتَيْقِظُ بِهِ النِّيَامُ، لِأَنَّ هَذَا يُؤْذِي النَّائِمِينَ.

A Muslim should raise his voice clearly when greeting others, rather than mumbling under his breath. Some people—may Allah guide us and them—are held back by arrogance or coldness, and when they meet you, they offer a greeting so faint you can barely hear it. This contradicts the true spirit of spreading peace, which requires you to speak the greeting aloud. Scholars note one exception: if you are greeting a group that includes people who are asleep, you should not raise your voice enough to wake them, as that would be inconsiderate.

ثُمَّ إِنَّ الصِّيغَةَ الْمُسْتَحَبَّةَ أَنْ تَقُولَ: «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ» إِنْ كَانَ الْمُسَلَّمُ عَلَيْهِ وَاحِدًا، وَإِنْ كَانُوا جَمَاعَةَ رِجَالٍ تَقُولُ: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ، وَإِنْ كَانَ جَمَاعَةً نِسَاءً تَقُولُ: «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُنَّ»، حَسَبَ الْمُخَاطَبِ، ثُمَّ إِنَّكَ إِذَا قُلْتَ: «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ، أَوْ عَلَيْكُمْ، أَوْ عَلَيْكُنَّ»؛ فَإِنَّكَ تُشْعِرُ بِأَنَّكَ تَدْعُو لَهُمْ بِالسَّلَامَةِ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَا مُجَرَّدُ تَحِيَّةٍ بَلْ دُعَاءٌ بِالسَّلَامَةِ، بِأَنْ اللَّهَ يُسَلِّمُ مِنْ كُلِّ الْآفَاتِ، مِنْ آفَاتِ الذُّنُوبِ، وَآفَاتِ الْقُلُوبِ، وَآفَاتِ الْأَجْسَامِ، وَآفَاتِ الْأَعْرَاضِ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ آفَةٍ، وَلِهَذَا لَوْ قُلْتَ: «أَهْلًا وَمَرْحَبًا»، بَدَلَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ، مَا أَجْزَأَكَ؛ لِأَنَّ أَهْلًا وَمَرْحَبًا لَيْسَ فِيهَا دُعَاءٌ، وَإِنَّمَا فِيهَا تَحِيَّةٌ، وَتَهْنِئَةٌ، وَلَكِنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ فِيهَا دُعَاءٌ، فَالسَّلَامُ الْمَشْرُوعُ أَنْ تَقُولَ: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ.

The recommended formula is to say "As-salamu alayka" to one person, "As-salamu alaykum" to a group of men, and "As-salamu alaykunna" to a group of women, depending on who you are addressing. When you use these phrases, you are offering a prayer for their safety. This is not merely a social pleasantry; it is a supplication that Allah protects them from all harm—from the dangers of sin, the ailments of the heart, physical illness, damage to one's reputation, and every other affliction. Saying "Welcome" instead does not fulfill this requirement, as it is only a greeting and a gesture of hospitality, lacking the essential prayer for protection. The prescribed greeting remains "As-salamu alaykum."

أَمَّا الْمُسَلَّمُ عَلَيْهِ فَالْوَاجِبُ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَرُدَّ كَمَا سُلِّمَ عَلَيْهِ، هَذَا أَمْرٌ وَاجِبٌ لِقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّوا بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا أَوْ رُدُّوهَا﴾ [النِّسَاءِ: ٨٦].

The person being greeted is obligated to respond in kind, as commanded by Allah the Almighty: "When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with one better than it or at least return it in a like manner" [An-Nisa: 86].

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Vocabulary · المفردات (20 verbs · 45 nouns)

• اِنْبَغَى — to be necessary
• رَفَعَ — to raise
• سَمِعَ — to hear
• مُسْلِمٌ — Muslim
• صَوْتٌ — voice
• أَنْفٌ — nose