Nasai

(1) "Which Islam is better"—that is, which act among the matters of Islam is better and more virtuous.

(2) In this, not only is there encouragement to feed the hungry, but also guidance towards consoling and caring for the needy and destitute. Feeding others and showing kindness is a highly effective means of winning people’s hearts. People of influence, especially the scholars, should pay full attention to this important point.

(3) From this blessed hadith, the importance of Islam becomes clear. This is a very beneficial and tried-and-tested way to win people’s hearts and bring them closer. One should not restrict greeting (salam) to only a select few, as is the way of arrogant and tyrannical people; rather, salam should be given to everyone, whether distinguished or common, because all believers are brothers to one another. However, one should not initiate salam to any disbeliever, polytheist, Jew, or Christian, nor to any openly sinful or wicked person. But if a person’s true state is unknown, then it is permissible to initiate salam, considering him a Muslim. And Allah knows best.

(4) There are various narrations regarding the most virtuous deed. This difference is due to the circumstances and conditions of individuals, so it should not be considered a contradiction. (For details, see Hadith: 4989)

Explanation:
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah is, even here, refuting the Murji’ah by stating that even the smallest righteous deeds of Islam have been counted as part of faith (iman). Therefore, the doctrine of the Murji’ah is false. Feeding others and generally greeting the people of Islam with salam—in short, all righteous deeds—have been called iman, and this is the true Islam. The increase or decrease in these righteous deeds is what determines the increase or decrease of faith.

To be just with one’s own soul means to continually examine its actions and to hold it accountable regarding the rights of Allah (huquq Allah) and the rights of the servants (huquq al-‘ibad). Expressing gratitude for Allah’s favors and not falling short in His obedience and worship are also included in being just with one’s soul. Furthermore, keeping justice in view at all times and in all circumstances is also included under this.

Hadith Commentary:
Here too, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah is refuting the Murji’ah, as even the smallest righteous deeds of Islam have been counted as part of faith (iman).
Therefore, the doctrine of the Murji’ah is false.
Feeding others and generally greeting the people of Islam with salam—in short, all righteous deeds—have been called iman, and this is the true Islam.
The increase and decrease of these righteous deeds is what the increase and decrease of faith depends upon.
To be just with one’s own soul means to continually examine one’s actions and to hold oneself accountable regarding the rights of Allah and the rights of the servants. It also includes expressing gratitude for Allah’s favors and not falling short in His obedience and worship.
Furthermore, keeping justice in mind at all times and in all circumstances is also included under this heading.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
In this hadith, the sign of true Islam is stated to be that a Muslim frequently offers salam (greeting of peace), meaning that he does not restrict salam to introductions or to a specific time, but rather greets everyone he meets with salam.
However, this will be specified for Muslims.
Also, it is not correct to offer salam to someone who, due to his immoral behavior, does not make himself deserving of the prayer for peace, such as a person who openly commits adultery or drinks alcohol—he is not deserving of salam.
If a sinful person is in authority and there is a fear that if I do not greet him, he will cause me harm, then in such a situation, offering salam is permissible.

Hadith Commentary:
It is extremely important to make these ahadith a part of one's daily routine as well.
May Allah grant every Muslim the ability to do so. Ameen.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In another hadith, it is stated that spreading the greeting of salam (peace) is a means of fostering mutual love. Thus, it is narrated from Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
"You will not enter Paradise until you become complete believers, and you will not become complete believers until you love one another. Shall I not inform you of an action which, if you do it, love and affection will be established among you? That action is to spread salam (the greeting of peace) among yourselves."
(Sahih Muslim, Al-Iman, Hadith: 194(54))

In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has, with great emphasis, informed us of the reality that by greeting one another with salam and responding to it, love and affection are created. If this salam is offered with sincerity of heart and on the basis of the bond of faith, then it is the best means of generating love and affection. However, it should not be limited to only those whom one knows; rather, every Muslim should be greeted with salam without discrimination. Thus, in another hadith, it is mentioned that among the signs of the Hour (Day of Judgment) is that a person will pass by a mosque and will not pray in it, and he will greet only the person whom he recognizes.
(Musnad Ahmad: 387/1, regarding salam; and Ibn Khuzaymah in his Sahih regarding prayer, as in Al-Sahihah of Al-Albani, Hadith 649)

Some individuals have deduced from this hadith the issue that it is permissible to greet a disbeliever (kafir) with salam. However, this is not correct according to the Shari‘ah, because a disbeliever is absolutely not entitled to the greeting of a believer. Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has written that from this general manner of greeting, the disbeliever is excepted. One should refrain from initiating salam to him.
(Fath al-Bari: 27/11)
And Allah knows best.

Understanding the Hadith:
In these ahadith, the mention is made of the better and more virtuous form of Islam, but in one narration a particular deed is described as the most virtuous, while in another narration, something else is described as better. The scholars have explained the reason for this difference: the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam gave these instructions according to the questioner or the circumstances. For example, when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam observed some shortcoming in a particular deed on the part of the questioner, he declared that very deed to be the most virtuous in his presence, and this virtue was in relation to that specific individual, not for all Muslims in general. Similarly, when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam saw that the circumstances required a particular action, he declared that action to be the most virtuous in response to the questioner. «والله اعلم»

Explanation:
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said «تطعم الطعام» instead of «توكل الطعام». This is because in «اطعام» are included feeding food, giving water to drink, letting someone taste something, hosting someone, and in addition, giving something as a gift or donation, etc.—all of these are encompassed. Greeting every Muslim with salam, whether he is familiar or a stranger, is because all believers are brothers to one another; wherever they may reside, whatever nation they belong to, yet by virtue of the Islamic bond and the connection of the kalimah of tawhid, all are brothers. «اطعام» «طعام» pertain to the virtues of wealth, and Islam pertains to the virtues of the body. In other words, all the moral virtues, whether financial or physical, collectively are called Islam. Thus, it is also established that all acts of worship are included in Islam, and that Islam and iman are, in terms of their results, one and the same thing. And that the more moral virtues—whether physical or financial—a person possesses, the more developed his iman and Islam will be. Therefore, those who say that iman does not increase or decrease, their statement is entirely unworthy of consideration.

All the narrators in the chain of this narration are Egyptians, and all are eminent imams of Islam. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has brought this hadith further ahead in this very Kitab al-Iman, and has also transmitted it in Bab al-Istidhān. Imam Muslim rahimahullah and Imam Nasa’i rahimahullah have transmitted it in Kitab al-Iman, and Imam Abu Dawud rahimahullah in Bab al-Adab, and Imam Ibn Majah rahimahullah in Bab al-At’imah.

Feeding the poor and needy is considered a highly significant virtue in Islam. In the Noble Qur’an, regarding the people of Paradise, it is mentioned «ويطعمون الطعام على حبه مسكينا و يتيما و اسيرا» [الدهر: 8] that the righteous servants are those who, for the love of Allah, feed the needy, the orphan, and the captive. From this hadith, it is also evident that the objective of Islam is that hunger and poverty among mankind should be combated to such an extent that no human being remains a victim of hunger, and that peace and security should be so widespread that not even the slightest fear of insecurity remains. This mission of Islam was fulfilled in the blessed era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, and whenever Allah wills, this mission will be fulfilled again. However, in a partial sense, it is among the religious duties of every Muslim to look after the hungry and to always strive against insecurity. This is the true aim and objective of Islam.
❀ The universality of brotherhood, the abundance of love—this is the purpose of nature, this is the secret of being a Muslim.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Previously, the characteristic of a Muslim was mentioned as being that he is a well-wisher for all the people of Islam and does not harm anyone with his tongue or hand.
In this hadith, the mention is of conveying benefit: feeding food is benefiting with the hand, and giving salam is benefiting with the tongue. This should be the very quality of a Muslim—that he dedicates himself to the well-being of other Muslims.

➋
In “it‘am ta‘am” (feeding food), feeding food, giving water to drink, and hosting someone are all included.
This is related to financial virtues.
Similarly, greeting a Muslim with salam, whether he is familiar or a stranger, is related to physical virtues. Thus, all the virtues of character, whether financial or physical, collectively are called Islam.
From this, it is proven that Islam and iman (faith), in terms of their outcome, are one and the same thing. Furthermore, the person who possesses more virtues of character, whether financial or physical, his iman will be that much more developed.
This refutes the Murji’ah, who say that actions have no connection to iman, that iman does not increase through them, nor does it decrease by abandoning them.

➌
In “it‘am ta‘am” (feeding food), there is no specification of Muslim or non-Muslim; rather, there is reward even in feeding animals, as is explicitly stated in numerous ahadith. However, there will be more reward in feeding a Muslim. As for giving salam, it is specified for Muslims, because it is not correct to greet disbelievers and deniers of the truth with salam.
One should not initiate salam to the People of the Book.
If they say salam, then only reply with “wa ‘alaykum.”

➍
Different answers to the same question are based on the varying conditions of the questioner; the answer is given according to his need. For example:
A person is regular in prayer and fasting, but is somewhat miserly by nature, so he will be told of such an action that remedies this deficiency.
Similarly, a person is hospitable and compassionate, but is negligent in prayer, so he will be advised regarding prayer, that it is the most virtuous deed.
Since the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is a spiritual mentor, he would encourage whichever action he saw lacking.

➎
In [أَيُّ الإِسْلامِ أَفْضَلُ] and [أَيُّ الإِسْلاَمِ خَيْرٌ], although both “afdal” and “khayr” are in the superlative form, “afdal” means abundance of reward, which is in contrast to scarcity, and “khayr” means benefit, which is in contrast to evil.
The first question relates to quantity, while the second question relates to quality.
(Sharh al-Kirmani: 1/92)

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
(1)
"Ayyu" is a construct noun (mudaf ilayh) in the plural form,
therefore, here an implied phrase is understood,
"Ayyu khisal al-Islam" or "Ayyu dhawi al-Islam,"
meaning: Which characteristic of Islam or which Muslim is better.
(2)
Salam (greeting of peace):
Salam is a superior gift from Islam for Muslims,
which is both excellent and profound, for in it, along with supplication, there is also the benefit that when two people meet, by conveying the greeting of peace to each other, they reassure one another that from my side you have every kind of safety,
there is no need for any kind of anxiety or apprehension.

Benefits and Issues:
To greet both acquaintances and strangers means to offer salam to every Muslim, whether a dear friend or an unfamiliar person.
If it is known about a person that he is a non-Muslim, then he should not be greeted with salam.
It is the duty of the non-Muslim to initiate salam to the Muslim.
When he offers salam, the Muslim should reply with "Wa alaikum."