Taken from the book “Aḥkām wa Masā’il Kitāb o Sunnat kī Roshni Mein” by Shaykh Mubashshir Ahmad Rabbānī
✦ Question:
If one makes a phone call and a woman answers, should Salām be offered to her?
If the woman says Salām, should one reply? If not, what should be done?
✦ Answer:
In Islamic Shariʿah, all Muslims are encouraged to spread Salām. The Prophet ﷺ would offer Salām even to women when passing by them.
✦ Evidence from Sunnah:
❖ Jareer رضي الله عنه narrates:
“The Prophet ﷺ passed by some women and offered Salām to them.”
(Musnad Aḥmad 1/357, ḥadīth 19426)
This narration is considered ḥasan (sound) due to supporting evidences.
❖ Asmā’ bint Yazīd رضي الله عنها said:
“The Prophet ﷺ passed by us women and greeted us with Salām.”
(Abū Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Adab, Bāb fī al-Salām ʿalā al-Nisā’, ḥadīth 5204 | al-Tirmidhī 2697 | al-Adab al-Mufrad)
From these aḥādīth, it becomes evident that greeting women with Salām is permissible and legislated in Sharīʿah.
✦ Practice of the Companions:
The noble Companions (Ṣaḥābah) would greet the Mothers of the Believers (Ummahāt al-Mu’minīn), and they would reply to the Salām. This shows that the practice was common and accepted.
✦ Guidelines to Prevent Fitnah:
However, if there is a fear of temptation (fitnah) in any situation, then it is better to avoid initiating Salām. And if a woman replies to Salām, she must do so in a tone that is serious and modest, avoiding softness or a flirtatious manner of speech.
This is because the Qur’an has clearly prohibited alluring speech from women. Allah says:
فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِٱلْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ ٱلَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِۦ مَرَضٌۭ
“Do not be soft in speech lest he in whose heart is a disease should covet.”
📖 [Sūrah al-Aḥzāb: 32]
✅ Practical Application on Phone Calls:
Therefore, when you call a friend or acquaintance and a female member of the household answers,
❖ Greet her with Salām.
❖ If she says Salām first, reply to her with Salām.
❖ However, do not engage in unnecessary conversation, especially beyond the purpose of the call, in order to prevent any possible fitnah.
