45. Food for the Soul - Greetings

[ummtaalib]

Pearls of Wisdom: No.45

“Food for the Soul”

 

SUBJECT:  GREETINGS

 

 Allah, The Most Exalted, says:

 

“When ye are greeted with a greeting, greet ye with a better than it or return it. Lo! Allah taketh count of all things” (Qur’an 4:86)

 

 “When you enter houses, greet (with peace) one another with a salutation from Allah, blessed and good. As such Allah makes clear to you His verses so that you understand.”(Qur’an: an-Nur: 61)

 

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said:

 

“You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you about something which, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread salaam (greetings) amongst yourselves” (Hadith Muslim)

 

A man asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): “What is the best thing in Islam?” He said, “Feeding others and making of salaam(greeting) to those whom you know and those whom you do not know.” (Hadith - Bukhari, Muslim and others)

 

Note: Islam is full of teachings on loving and not causing any hurt to feelings, inconvenience or injury to one another. Greeting each other creates a bond of love and unity even when people are strangers!  Don’t wait to be greeted but be the one to initiates the greeting as The Messenger (pbuh) is reported to have said “The one who is the first to greet is free from pride!”

 

[ummtaalib]

When one greets his Muslim brother with salaam, he benefits him in three ways:

1) He makes duaa for him that Allah Ta’ala keep him in peace. Salaam is a greeting of peace.

2) He reminds him that Allah Ta’ala is with him and watching him at all times. ‘Salaam’ is the name of Allah Ta’ala.

3) He informs him that when he has greeted him with the greeting of peace, he is certainly his well-wisher and he will not harm him in any way (neither verbally, physically or in any other way).

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