سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 86
وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّوا۟ بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَآ أَوْ رُدُّوهَآ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَسِيبًا ﴿86﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally. Certainly, Allâh is Ever a Careful Account Taker of all things.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذَا
wa-idhā
And when
حُيِّيتُم
ḥuyyītum
you are greeted
بِتَحِيَّةٍۢ
bitaḥiyyatin
with a greeting
فَحَيُّوا۟
faḥayyū
then greet
بِأَحْسَنَ
bi-aḥsana
with better
مِنْهَآ
min'hā
than it
أَوْ
aw
or
رُدُّوهَآ ۗ
ruddūhā
return it
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
كَانَ
kāna
is
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
of
كُلِّ
kulli
every
شَىْءٍ
shayin
thing
حَسِيبًا
ḥasīban
an Accountant
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
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)
