صحيح مسلم
Muslim
كتاب السلامThe Book of Greetings
باب النَّهْيِ عَنِ ابْتِدَاءِ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ بِالسَّلاَمِ وَكَيْفَ يَرُدُّ عَلَيْهِمْ:Chapter: The Prohibition Of Initiating The Greeting With The People Of The Book, And How To Respond To Them
Hadith 2167
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ يَعْنِي الدَّرَاوَرْدِيَّ ، عَنْ سُهَيْلٍ ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : " لَا تَبْدَءُوا الْيَهُودَ وَلَا النَّصَارَى بِالسَّلَامِ ، فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمْ أَحَدَهُمْ فِي طَرِيقٍ فَاضْطَرُّوهُ إِلَى أَضْيَقِهِ " .
Abu Hurairah (RA) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Do not greet the Jews and the Christians before they greet you and when you meet any one of them on the roads force him to go to the narrowest part of it.
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وحدثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ . ح وحدثنا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ ، قَالَا : حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ . ح وحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ كُلُّهُمْ ، عَنْ سُهَيْلٍ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ ، وَفِي حَدِيثِ وَكِيعٍ ، إِذَا لَقِيتُمْ الْيَهُودَ ، وَفِي حَدِيثِ ابْنِ جَعْفَرٍ ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ ، قال : فِي أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ ، وَفِي حَدِيثِ جَرِيرٍ ، إِذَا لَقِيتُمُوهُمْ وَلَمْ يُسَمِّ أَحَدًا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ .
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Suhail with the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording. The hadith transmitted on the authority of Waki', the words are 'When you meet the Jews." And in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Shu'bah, the words are: 'When you meet the People of the Book." And in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Jarir the words are: "When you meet them," but none amongst the polytheists has been mentioned explicitly by name.
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Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: From one hadith, it is understood that one should not initiate greeting (salam) to a disbeliever (kafir), and this is also the view of the majority of jurists (fuqaha). And if one happens to meet them while walking on the road, then out of honor and respect for them, one should not make way for them; rather, make way for oneself. From this, the scholars have deduced that those with corrupt beliefs and misguided people should also not be greeted first with salam. However, if one greets Jews and Christians with the intention of greeting the angels, then that is permissible.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 5661
Shaykh Dr. Abdur Rahman Freywai
Explanation:
1:
That is, Jews, Christians, and non-Muslims should be compelled to walk on the sides of roads with crowds, while Muslims walk in the middle, so that the dignity and grandeur of Muslims may be manifested. In this way, they (the non-Muslims) will have the opportunity to greet (the Muslims) and to reflect further about the Muslims; perhaps Allah, the Exalted, will open their hearts to the religion of honor and dominance.
1:
That is, Jews, Christians, and non-Muslims should be compelled to walk on the sides of roads with crowds, while Muslims walk in the middle, so that the dignity and grandeur of Muslims may be manifested. In this way, they (the non-Muslims) will have the opportunity to greet (the Muslims) and to reflect further about the Muslims; perhaps Allah, the Exalted, will open their hearts to the religion of honor and dominance.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi – Majlis ‘Ilmi Dar al-Da‘wah, New Delhi Edition, Page: 2700
Shaykh Dr. Abdur Rahman Freywai
Explanation:
1:
According to this hadith, it is forbidden (haram) for a Muslim to initiate greeting (salam) to Jews, Christians, Magians, and others. This is the opinion of the majority (jumhur). The meaning of compelling them to the narrow side of the road upon encountering them is to make them feel that they are of a lower status. However, this is not possible in non-Islamic governments; therefore, according to the Imams, in order to avoid evil and tribulation (sharr wa fitnah), one should adopt whatever cautious method is appropriate.
1:
According to this hadith, it is forbidden (haram) for a Muslim to initiate greeting (salam) to Jews, Christians, Magians, and others. This is the opinion of the majority (jumhur). The meaning of compelling them to the narrow side of the road upon encountering them is to make them feel that they are of a lower status. However, this is not possible in non-Islamic governments; therefore, according to the Imams, in order to avoid evil and tribulation (sharr wa fitnah), one should adopt whatever cautious method is appropriate.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi – Majlis ‘Ilmi Dar al-Da‘wah, New Delhi Edition, Page: 1602
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
In this manner, the eminence and exaltation of Islam and the people of Islam is expressed.
In this manner, the eminence and exaltation of Islam and the people of Islam is expressed.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 5205
