Sharʿi Ruling on Greeting and Responding to Barelvis, Deobandis, and Ahl-e-Hadith
Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil in the Light of Qur’an and Hadith, Vol. 1, p. 532
Questions:
➊ If today’s Barelvis—whose beliefs are well-known—say al-salāmu ʿalaykum to an Ahl-e-Hadith, should he reply with wa ʿalaykum al-salām, or only wa ʿalaykum, or give no reply at all, since Ahl-e-Hadith consider them as mushrik and innovators?
➋ Should an Ahl-e-Hadith initiate the salām to a Barelvi?
➌ Should an Ahl-e-Hadith say salām to a Deobandi, since some Ahl-e-Hadith scholars and researchers consider their beliefs close to those of Barelvis and Qadiyanis, as mentioned in the book Hanafiyyat aur Mirzaiyyat Teen Khooni Rishtay by Dr. Muhammad Hussain, published in old Chichawatni?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
➊ Reply with wa ʿalaykum al-salām, because they recite the kalimah, believe in Allah, His Messengers, His Angels, His Books, the Last Day, and Divine Decree, and many of them also observe the pillars of Islam.
➋ Yes, salām should be initiated with them, since they recite the kalimah and believe in Allah, His Messengers, and the essentials of faith.
➌ Yes, salām should also be said to Deobandis, because they too recite the kalimah and believe in Allah, His Messengers, and the essentials of faith. However, the Qadiyanis—who regard Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani as a prophet or a reformer—are separate from the Ummah, and their ruling is different.
Hādhā mā ʿindī wallāhu aʿlam bis-ṣawāb.
Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil in the Light of Qur’an and Hadith, Vol. 1, p. 532
Questions:
➊ If today’s Barelvis—whose beliefs are well-known—say al-salāmu ʿalaykum to an Ahl-e-Hadith, should he reply with wa ʿalaykum al-salām, or only wa ʿalaykum, or give no reply at all, since Ahl-e-Hadith consider them as mushrik and innovators?
➋ Should an Ahl-e-Hadith initiate the salām to a Barelvi?
➌ Should an Ahl-e-Hadith say salām to a Deobandi, since some Ahl-e-Hadith scholars and researchers consider their beliefs close to those of Barelvis and Qadiyanis, as mentioned in the book Hanafiyyat aur Mirzaiyyat Teen Khooni Rishtay by Dr. Muhammad Hussain, published in old Chichawatni?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
➊ Reply with wa ʿalaykum al-salām, because they recite the kalimah, believe in Allah, His Messengers, His Angels, His Books, the Last Day, and Divine Decree, and many of them also observe the pillars of Islam.
➋ Yes, salām should be initiated with them, since they recite the kalimah and believe in Allah, His Messengers, and the essentials of faith.
➌ Yes, salām should also be said to Deobandis, because they too recite the kalimah and believe in Allah, His Messengers, and the essentials of faith. However, the Qadiyanis—who regard Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani as a prophet or a reformer—are separate from the Ummah, and their ruling is different.
Hādhā mā ʿindī wallāhu aʿlam bis-ṣawāb.
