Salam’ is a Greeting for Non-Muslims

It is perfectly alright for a non Muslim to greet another person with the Islamic greeting of peace: “Al-Salâm `Alaykum wa Rahmah Allah wa Barakâtuh.”

However, the non-Muslim will not receive the blessing for the practice that a Muslim does, since the blessing one earns by offering the greeting to someone else comes from emulating the example – the Sunnah – of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and a non-Muslim, by definition, does not believe in following the Prophet’s Sunnah as a matter of faith.

It is also permissible for a Muslim to greet a non Muslim with this greeting. This was asserted by a number of Companions and Successors, including Ibn `Abbâs, Ibn Mas`ûd, Abû Umâmah, Ibn Muhîrîz, and `Umar b. `Abd al-`Azîz. It was also the opinion of many prominent imams, including Sufyân b. `Uyaynah, al-Sha`bî, al-Awzâ`î, and al-Tabarî. Recently, this opinion has been adopted by al-Sayyid Rashîd Ridâ’ in Tafsîr al-Manâr and al-Shinqîtî in Adwâ’ al-Bayân.

This view is in harmony with how the Qur’ân represents the Islamic greeting of peace as a universal greeting.

Allah says: “O you who believe! Enter not houses other than your own without first announcing your presence and invoking peace upon the folk thereof. That is better for you, that you may be heedful.” [Sûrah al-Nûr: 27]

Allah says: “And when they hear idle talk they turn aside from it and say: We shall have our deeds and you shall have your deeds; peace be on you, we do not desire the ignorant.” [Sûrah al-Qasas: 55]

He says: “And the servants of (Allah) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, ‘Peace!’ ” [Sûrah al-Furqân: 63]

He also says: “Consider his cry: ‘O my Lord! surely they are a people who do not believe’. So turn away from them and say, ‘Peace’, for they shall soon come to know.” [Sûrah al-Zukhruf: 88-89]

And: “(The father) replied: ‘Do you hate my gods, O Abraham? If you forbear not, I will indeed stone you: Now get away from me for a good long while!’ Abraham said: ‘Peace be on thee: I will pray to my Lord for thy forgiveness: for He is to me Most Gracious’.” [Sûrah Maryam: 47]

There is also ample hadîth evidence to establish the universality of this greeting.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Greet with ‘Peace’ those whom you know and those whom you do not know.” [Sahîh al-Bukharî (12) and Sahîh Muslim (39)]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also informed us that when Allah created Adam, He commanded him: “Go to that assembly – and they were an assembly of seated angels – and listen to how they greet you. Indeed, it is your greeting and the greeting of your descendants. He said: “Peace be upon you.” They said: “Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (3326 & 6227) and Sahîh Muslim (2841)]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said: “Spread the greeting of peace.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhî (1854) and Sahîh Ibn Hibbân (489)]

There are many scholars who hold the view that it is either disliked or prohibited for Muslims to initiate the greeting of salâm with non-Muslims. They rely on the following hadîth as evidence: “Do not initiate the salutation of ‘Peace’ with the Jews and Christians.” [Sahîh Muslim (2167)]

However, this hadîth relates to a state of hostilities which had erupted at that time against the Muslims. It was, in fact, at the time of the campaign against Banû Qurayzah. This is established by another authentic hadîth where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “We are going forth in the morning against a group of Jews, so do not initiate the greeting of ‘Peace’ with them. [Musnad Ahmad (26695) and Mu`jam al-Tabarânî al-Kabîr (22/291). See also Musnad Ahmad (16844 & 17584)]

Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalânî relates the same from al-Bukhârî’s al-Adab al-Mufrad and from Sunan al-Nasâ’î while discussing this topic in Fath al-Bârî (11/39).

Therefore, the opinion that the greeting of peace can be used for all people is the strongest one. This view has been held by eminent scholars of all schools of thought. It is certainly the opinion to adopt when living at peace in the company of non-Muslims. Those Muslims who are living in non-Muslim countries should have a concern for outreach. Greeting all people in the best of manner without showing discrimination is an essential etiquette of reaching out to others.

It is also important to understand that the difference of opinion regarding the greeting of “salâm” with non-Muslims pertains only to initiating the greeting, not to replying to it. When a non-Muslim greets a Muslim with “al-Salâm `alaykum”, then it is obligatory for the Muslim to return the greeting.

This is because Allah says: “When you are greeted with a greeting, greet back with better than it or return it. Lo! Allah takes count of all things.” [Sûrah al-Nisâ’: 86]

This verse shows that it is preferable to offer a better, more generous greeting and it is obligatory to do justice and to at least return the same. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah explains in Ahkâm Ahl al-Dhimmah that this ruling certainly applies to non-Muslims as well as Muslims.

http://en.islamtoday.net/artshow-416-3011.htm