Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 86

(Ayah 86){ وَ اِذَا حُيِّيْتُمْ بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّوْا بِاَحْسَنَ مِنْهَاۤ … :} After commanding jihad, now some rulings regarding peace are mentioned. Thus, it is stated that if the disbelievers propose to end the war and make peace, then you should respond with something better or at least accept the proposal to that extent. Elsewhere it is stated: «{ وَ اِنْ جَنَحُوْا لِلسَّلْمِ فَاجْنَحْ لَهَا وَ تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللّٰهِ }» [ الأنفال : ۶۱ ] "And if they incline towards peace, then you also incline towards it and put your trust in Allah." One application of this verse is that during the journey of jihad, if someone, to express obedience or to declare acceptance of Islam, greets you with salam, then do not kill him saying, "You are not a believer." (See Nisa: 94) And another application is what is clearly evident from the explicit words of the verse: when someone greets you with salam, respond with words better than that. { ”تَحِیَّۃٌ“ ’’حَيَاةٌ‘‘} is a verbal noun from the bab taf'il, meaning to pray for life or safety, i.e., salam is meant. The explanation of giving a better reply is mentioned in the hadith as follows: in response to {’’اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ‘‘}, add {’’ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ ‘‘}, and in response to {’’ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ ‘‘}, add {’’ وَ بَرَكَاتُهٗ ‘‘}, but if someone says all these words, then reply with the same. The addition of {”وَمَغْفِرَتُهُ وَ رِضْوَانُهُ“} and the like is not established from any Sahih hadith. With every additional word, ten more good deeds are added. [ أحمد : 439/4، ۴۴۰، ح : ۱۹۹۷۰ ] Thus, it is obligatory to reply with as much as the salam that is given, and anything extra is recommended.

86. 1. Tahiyyah is originally taḥiyyah (taf‘ilah) ; after the assimilation of ya into ya, it became taḥiyyah. Its meaning is a prayer for long life (al-du‘ā’ bil-ḥayāh). Here, it is in the sense of greeting (salām). (Fath al-Qadīr) The explanation of giving a better reply is mentioned in the hadith as follows: in response to "as-salāmu ‘alaykum," add "wa raḥmatullāh," and in response to "as-salāmu ‘alaykum wa raḥmatullāh," add "wa barakātuh." But if someone says "as-salāmu ‘alaykum wa raḥmatullāh wa barakātuh," then reply with the same words without any addition. In another hadith, it is mentioned that saying only "as-salāmu ‘alaykum" earns ten good deeds, adding "wa raḥmatullāh" earns twenty good deeds, and adding "wa barakātuh" earns thirty good deeds. (Musnad Ahmad, Volume 4, pp. 439, 440) Remember that this ruling is for Muslims, i.e., when a Muslim greets another Muslim. But when greeting Ahl al-Dhimmah, i.e., Jews and Christians, one should not initiate the greeting, nor should any addition be made; rather, reply only with "wa ‘alaykum." (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Isti’dhan; Muslim, Kitab al-Salam)

When you are greeted with a greeting, respond with one better than it, or at least return it in the same manner. Surely, Allah is Ever-Accountant over all things.

[119] When a person greets another with salam, it means that he is praying to Allah Almighty for peace for him. From the Shari'ah perspective, exchanging salam among each other is a highly commendable act because it creates brotherhood in the Islamic society. In this regard, consider a few ahadith:

1. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr ؓ says that a man asked the Prophet ﷺ, "Which Islam is best?" The Prophet ﷺ replied, "That you feed (others) and greet with salam both those whom you know and those whom you do not know."
[بخاري، كتاب الايمان، باب اطعام الطعام من الاسلام۔ الاستيذان، باب السلام للمعرفة و غير المعرفة]

2.
Etiquettes of Salam:

Sayyiduna Imran ؓ says that a man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "Assalamu Alaikum," so the Prophet ﷺ said, "Ten" (i.e., he will have ten good deeds). Then another man came and said «السلام عليكم و رحمة الله», so the Prophet ﷺ said, "Twenty." Then another man came and said «السلام عليكم و رحمة الله وبركاته», and the Prophet ﷺ said, "Thirty."
[ترمذی۔ ابواب الاستیذان، باب فضل السلام]

3. The Prophet ﷺ said, "When one of you meets his brother, he should greet him with salam. Then if a tree, wall, or stone comes between them, and then he meets him again, he should greet him with salam again."
[ابو داؤد، کتاب الادب۔ باب فی الرجل یفارق الرجل ثم یلقاہ ایسلم علیہ]

4. The Prophet ﷺ said, "The younger should greet the elder, the one walking should greet the one sitting, the few should greet the many, the rider should greet the one walking, and the one walking should greet the one standing."
[بخاری، کتاب الاستیذان باب تسلیم الصغیر علی الکبیر۔۔ مسلم، کتاب السلام، باب یسلم الراکب علی الماشی۔۔ ترمذی، ابواب الاستیذان]

5. Sayyidah Aisha ؓ says that some Jews came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "As-saam Alaik" (death be upon you). I understood what they were saying, so I said, "Alaikum as-saam wal-la'nah" (death and curse be upon you). The Prophet ﷺ said, "Wait, Aisha! Allah loves gentleness in every matter." I replied, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Did you not hear what they said?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "I have already said, 'Wa Alaikum' (and upon you)."
[بخاری، کتاب الاستیذان، باب کیف الرد علی اھل الذمۃ السلام۔ مسلم، کتاب السلام، باب النہی عن ابتداء اہل الکتاب بالسلام و کیف یردعلیھم]

6. The Prophet ﷺ said, "The one who is closest to Allah among the people is the one who greets with salam first."
[ابو داؤد، کتاب الادب، باب فضل من بدأ بالسلام]

7. The Prophet ﷺ said, "When someone enters a gathering, he should greet with salam, and when he intends to leave, he should also greet with salam, and both these greetings are equally necessary."
[ابو داؤد، کتاب الادب۔ باب فی السلام اذاقام من المجلس]