Part 11

The Permanent Council issued this ruling: It is permissible to initiate greetings of peace to one who is reciting the Quran, and he must return the greeting, for no established proof in the Shariah indicates that it is forbidden to greet a person who is busy reciting the Qur’an. And as with all proofs, the general proofs here, which establish that it is legislated to initiate ‘As-Salaam’ and to respond to ‘As-Salaam,’ are comprehensive unless other proofs that limit the scope of the ruling are established."

18) It Is Disliked To Greet Someone Who Is Relieving Himself

In a narration related by Ibn ‘Umar , a man passed by the Messenger of Allah 3%, who was just then urinating. The man greeted the Prophet #%, but he did not return the greeting.7! Scholars agree that it is disliked for one to return greetings of peace while he is relieving himself (i.e., while he is defecating or urinating) and that it is recommended for him to Jater return the greeting, but only after he performs ablution, for that is related from the Messenger of Allah #8. Al-Muhaajir Ibn Qunfudh # related that he went to the Prophet 2%, who at the time was urinating. Al-Muhaajir 4 greeted him, but the Prophet # did not respond until he performed ablution. He #% then excused himself, saying,

{) Rulings From The Permanent Council For Scientific Researches And Religious Verdicts Saudi Arabia (4/83) "2 Muslim (370)

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“'l indeed disliked that I should remember Allah ‘Azza Wa-Jall (The Most Mighty And Exalted) except while being in a state of purity.”

Sf i 248 Jp

19) It ls Recommended To Extend Greetings Of Peace Upon Entering One’s Home

If one’s house is empty, some from the people of knowledge - from the Companions 4 and others - have ruled that it is recommended for a man to greet himself upon entering. ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar # said, “If one enters an uninhabited (or empty) house, then let him say, ‘As-Salaamu ‘Alainaa Wa-‘Alaa ‘Toaadullahis-Saaliheen (Peace be upon us and upon Allah’s righteous slaves).’”"7!_ And the same is related from Mujaahid and others. Ibn Hajr said, ‘The order to spread greetings of peace embraces greeting one’s own self when one enters a place in which there is no one, for Allah 4 said,

“But when you enter the houses, greet one another (the literal translation is, ‘greet yourselves’)...” (Quran 24:61)

If you enter your home and your family is inside, then it is recommended for you to greet them as well. Abu Az-Zubair related that he heard Jaabir say, ‘When you enter upon your family, then greet them ‘with a greeting from Allah, blessed and good.””9) It is not, however, compulsory to give greetings of

" Related by Abu Daawood (17), and the wording mentioned here is from his narration of the hadith. Al-Albaanee said, “sahih.” And about one of its chains, Ibn Muflaih said, “Its chain is good.” The following compilers related it as well: Ahmad (18555), An-Nassaaee (38), Ibn Maajah (350), and Ad-Daarimee (2641)

1 Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, by Al-Bukhaaree (1055). Ibn Hajr ruled that its chain is Hasan (Fathul-Baaree 11/22). And in sahih Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, AlAlbaanee also ruled that its chain is Hasan.

B) Al-Adab Al-Mufrad (1095). Al-Albaanee said, “Its chain is Sahech.”

peace when you enter your home. Ibn Juraij once asked ‘Ataa, “When I leave and then enter again, is it compulsory for me to greet them?” He answered, ‘No, and it being compulsory is not related from anyone; nonetheless, doing so is more beloved to me, and I do not forsake doing so except on occasions in which I forget.” After becoming aware of the inherent virtues of this practice, a Muslim should not abandon it. One of the virtues or rewards of this practice is mentioned in the following hadith. Abu Umaamah # related that the Prophet #¢ said,

fo Edi Jos SG by od Ye by al Ub Bs ie BS “Each of [the following] three has a guarantee with Allah - that if he lives, he is taken care of, and if he dies, he will enter Paradise: one who enters his house with ‘Salaam’ has a guarantee with Allah ‘Azza Wa-Jall (The Most Might and Exalted); one

who goes out to the Masjid has a guarantee with Allah; and one who goes out in the way of Allah has a guarantee with Allah.’"")

20) Conveying Greetings Of Peace On Behalf Of Others

This is related in the Sunnah; for example, a man once went to the Prophet #% and said, “Verily, my father sends you greetings of peace,” to which the Prophet #% answered,

In another narration, the Mother of the Believers, ‘Aaisha %, reported that the Prophet # said to her, “Indeed, Jibreel sends you greetings of peace.” She answered, “And upon him peace and the Mercy of Allah.”*! And when the Prophet # conveyed

"] Al-Adab Al-Mufrad (1094). Al-Albaanee said, “sahih.”

1 Abu Daawood (5231) related it, and Al-Albaanee ruled that it is Hasan. Imam Ahmad related it as well (22594)

"9! Related by Bukhaaree (6253)

Chapter -2 The Manners Of Giving Greetings Of Peace 75

Jibreel’s greetings of peace to Khadeejah %, she said to the Prophet x, ‘Verily, Allah is As-Salaam (The One Who is free from all def: .:s and deficiencies) and from Him is all peace. And peace upon you and upon Jibreel.”""! One ruling we derive from the above-mentioned narrations is that it is recommended, and not obligatory, to greet the person who is conveying greetings of pe: sn behalf of another. We note that in ‘Aaisha’s narration, she returned Jibreel’s greeting without giving the same greeting to the Prophet #%. Ibn Hajr said, ‘Through the different narrations [of this hadith] from ‘Aaisha , 1 found nothing to indicate that she returned greetings to the Prophet 2 (ie., she only returned greetings to the sender, Jibreel, and not to the conveyor, the Prophet ##), which proves that doing so (ie., returning greetings to the conveyor) is not compulsory.””!

21) Upon Entering The Masjid, One Should First Pray The Two Units Of Tahiyyatul-Masjid (two units which one prays upon entering the Masjid) And Then Greet Those That Are In The Masjid

When one enters the Masjid, it is recommended for him to greet the Masjid before its people. The well-known hadith about the person who didn’t properly perform his prayer properly confirms this ruling. Abu Hurairah # related that the Prophet # entered the Masjid and then a man entered and prayed. The man then went and greeted the Prophet #%. The Prophet 2% returned his greeting and said,

pas 6 SEG ad peti

{ AL-Haafidh imputed this hadith to An-Nassaaee; refer to Fathul-Baaree 2] Fathul-Baaree (11/41)

“Go back and pray, for you have not prayed...)

About this incident, Ibn Al-Qayyim said, ‘The Prophet 2% reproached him for his prayer but not for delaying his greeting until after he prayed.” And Ibn Al-Qayyim said, “It was from the Prophet's guidance that one who enters the Masjid should begin by praying two units for Tahiyyatul-Masjid. After that, he “sould greet the people who are present; therefore, one greets the . sjid before greeting its people. The former is the right of Allah 4, while the latter is the right of people, and in such a matter, Allah’s right is more deserving of being given precedence.”

This applies to when there is a study circle in the Masjid or a group that is sitting down together; in these situations, it is Sunnah for one who enters the Masjid to first pray TahiyyatulMasjid and then greet the people inside. However, if one enters the Masjid and finds that other worshippers have preceded him to the row, he should greet them and then pray TahiyyatulMasjid or, if the situation requires it, a compulsory prayer. And Allah 4@ knows best.

22) While The Imam Is Delivering The Friday Khutbah (Sermon), It Is Disliked To Give Greetings Of Peace

The basis for this ruling is the hadith of Abu Hurairah ., in

which the Messenger of Allah 2 said,

“On Friday, if you say to your companion, ‘Listen [attentively]!’ while the Imam is delivering the Khutbah, then you have Laghauta (literally, this means, ‘you have spoken falsehood’; however, in this hadith, it means, ‘you have become preoccupied away from the Khutbah, and you have lost the reward for listening to it’).”"*!

Since, during the Khutbah, it is not permissible to say a single word such as, ‘quiet!’ or, ‘listen!’ it follows that it is also not

"l Related by Bukhaaree (7939) "1 Related by Bukhaaree (934)

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permissible to give greetings of peace (a greeting consists of more than one word), for the Prophet #5 commanded attendees of the Jumu’‘ah prayer to listen attentively to the Imam’s Khutbah.

Question: If one enters the Masjid and extends greetings of peace while the Imam is delivering the Friday Khutbah, is it permissible for those inside to respond to his greeting?

Answer: The Permanent Council issued the following ruling: First, when one enters the Masjid and hears the Khutbah, it is not permissible for him to initiate greetings to those inside. And second, even if one does greet those inside while the Imam is delivering the Khutbah, they should not verbally answer his greeting; however, if they answer with a gesture only, then that is permissible.!!

Question: And what should one do when someone beside him [not only greets him but also] shakes his hand during the Friday Khutbah?

Answer: The Permanent Council issued the following ruling: You may shake his hand but not respond with speech. You may verbally respond to his greeting after the Imam finishes the first Khutbah. If the person enters during the second Khutbah, then you may verbally answer his greeting after the Imam finishes the second Khutbah.?1

23) When You Meet Another Muslim, It Is Recommended To Extend Greetings Of Peace To Him First And Then Begin Your Conversation With Him

Upon meeting another Muslim, scholars from our pious predecessors and from later generations were known to give precedence to extending greetings of peace over anything else they needed or wanted to say. An-Nawawee said, ‘The Sunnah is to say ‘As-Salaam' [upon meeting someone] before all other

{) Rulings From The Permanent Council For Scholarly Research And Legal Rulings, Saudi Arabia (8/234)