In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Imam al-Nawawi records in his book Meadows of the Righteous:
باب فضل السلام والأمر بإفشائه
Chapter on the virtue of peace and the command to spread it.
Source: Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn 1/263
Allah Almighty said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتًا غَيْرَ بُيُوتِكُمْ حَتَّىٰ تَسْتَأْنِسُوا وَتُسَلِّمُوا عَلَىٰ أَهْلِهَا ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
O believers! Do not enter any house other than your own until you have asked for permission and greeted its occupants with peace. This is best for you, so perhaps you will be mindful.
Surat al-Nur 24:27
And Allah said:
وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّوا بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا أَوْ رُدُّوهَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَسِيبًا
When you are greeted, respond with a better greeting or at least similarly. Surely, Allah is a Reckoner of all things.
Surat al-Nisa’ 4:86
And Allah said:
هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ ضَيْفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ إِذْ دَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالُوا سَلَامًا قَالَ سَلَامٌ قَوْمٌ مُّنكَرُونَ
Has the story of Abraham’s honoured guests reached you? When they entered his presence and greeted him with, ‘Peace!’ He said, ‘Peace! These people must be strangers!’
Surat al-Dhariyat 51:24-25
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: A man asked the Prophet, “Which Islam is best?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
تُطْعِمُ الطَّعَامَ وَتَقْرَأُ السَّلاَمَ عَلَى مَنْ عَرَفْتَ وَمَنْ لَمْ تَعْرِفْ
That you feed the hungry and you greet with peace those you know and those you do not know.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 28, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
خَلَقَ اللَّهُ آدَمَ عَلَى صُورَتِهِ طُولُهُ سِتُّونَ ذِرَاعًا فَلَمَّا خَلَقَهُ قَالَ اذْهَبْ فَسَلِّمْ عَلَى أُولَئِكَ النَّفَرِ مِنْ الْمَلَائِكَةِ جُلُوسٌ فَاسْتَمِعْ مَا يُحَيُّونَكَ فَإِنَّهَا تَحِيَّتُكَ وَتَحِيَّةُ ذُرِّيَّتِكَ فَقَالَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَقَالُوا السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ فَزَادُوهُ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ
Allah created Adam in His image, sixty cubits tall. When He created him, Allah said, ‘Go and greet these groups of assembled angels with peace and listen to how they greet you, for this will be the greeting among your progeny.’ Adam said, ‘Peace be upon you.’ The angels said, ‘Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.’ Thus, they added the mercy of Allah.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6227, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib, may Allah be pleased with him, reported:
أَمَرَنَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِسَبْعٍ بِعِيَادَةِ الْمَرِيضِ وَاتِّبَاعِ الْجَنَائِزِ وَتَشْمِيتِ الْعَاطِسِ وَرَدِّ السَّلَامِ وَإِجَابَةِ الدَّاعِي وَإِبْرَارِ الْمُقْسِمِ وَنَصْرِ الْمَظْلُومِ
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded us to do seven things: to visit the sick, to follow the funeral procession, to bless those who sneeze, to return the greeting of peace, to accept invitations, to help others fulfill their oaths, and to support the oppressed.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5863, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَا تَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا أَوَلَا أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِذَا فَعَلْتُمُوهُ تَحَابَبْتُمْ أَفْشُوا السَّلَامَ بَيْنَكُمْ
You will not enter Paradise until you have faith, and you will not have faith until you love each other. Shall I tell you something that, if you did, you would love each other? Spread peace between yourselves.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 54, Grade: Sahih
Abdullah ibn Salaam reported: When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, came to Medina, the people rushed toward him and it was said, “The Messenger of Allah has come!” I came along with the people to see him and when I looked at the face of the Prophet, I realized that his face was not the face of a liar. The first thing the Prophet said was this:
أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَفْشُوا السَّلَامَ وَأَطْعِمُوا الطَّعَامَ وَصَلُّوا وَالنَّاسُ نِيَامٌ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ بِسَلَامٍ
O people, spread peace, feed the hungry, and pray at night when people are sleeping. You will enter Paradise in peace.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2485, Grade: Sahih
In another narration, the Prophet said:
اعْبُدُوا الرَّحْمَنَ وَأَطْعِمُوا الطَّعَامَ وَأَفْشُوا السَّلَامَ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ بِسَلَامٍ
Worship the Most Merciful, feed the poor, and spread peace. You will enter Paradise in peace.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1855, Grade: Sahih
Al-Tufayl reported: I would come with Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, to the market and when we did so, Ibn Umar would not pass anyone but that he would greet them with peace, whether they were selling merchandise or were poor. I came to Ibn Umar one day and asked him to follow me to the market. I said, “What will you do in the market, if you will not sell or buy or barter or sit in the gatherings?” Ibn Umar said:
يَا أَبَا بَطْنٍ إِنَّمَا نَغْدُو مِنْ أَجْلِ السَّلَامِ نُسَلِّمُ عَلَى مَنْ لَقِيَنَا
O big bellied one! We only go out in the morning to greet them with peace. We greet with peace whomever we meet.
Source: al-Muwaṭṭa’ li-Imām Mālik 3533, Grade: Sahih
Imam Ibn Abdul Barr commented:
وَرُوِيَ عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ وَأَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ وَفَضَالَةَ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَبْدَءُونَ أَهْلَ الذِّمَّةِ بِالسَّلَامِ وَعَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ أَنَّهُ كَتَبَ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ
It is narrated from Ibn Mas’ud, Abu Darda, and Fadalah ibn ‘Ubayd that they would initiate the greeting of peace with non-Muslim citizens. Ibn Mas’ud once wrote to a man among the people of the Book and he said, ‘Peace be upon you.’
Source: al-Tamhīd 17/91
‘Imran ibn Husayn reported: A man came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, saying, “Peace be upon you.” The Prophet said:
عَشْرٌ
Ten good deeds.
Then, another man came to the Prophet, saying, “Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.” The Prophet said:
عِشْرُونَ
Twenty good deeds.
Then, another man came to the Prophet, saying, “Peace be upon you, the mercy of Allah, and His blessings.” The Prophet said:
ثَلَاثُونَ
Thirty good deeds.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2689, Grade: Hasan
Imam al-Nawawi commented:
يُسْتَحَبُّ أَنْ يَقُولَ المُبْتَدِئُ بالسَّلَامِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ فَيَأتِ بِضَميرِ الجَمْعِ وَإنْ كَانَ المُسَلَّمُ عَلَيْهِ وَاحِدًا وَيقُولُ المُجيبُ وَعَلَيْكُمْ السَّلَامُ وَرَحْمَةُ الله وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
It is recommended to initiate greetings of peace by saying, ‘Peace be upon you, the mercy of Allah, and His blessings,’ so one uses the plural pronouns even if it is only one Muslim. The response is to say, ‘And peace be upon you, the mercy of Allah, and His blessings.’
Source: Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn 1/264
Aisha reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to her:
يَا عَائِشَةُ هَذَا جِبْرِيلُ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكِ السَّلَامَ
O Aisha, here is the Angel Gabriel to greet you with peace.
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, replied:
وَعَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ تَرَى مَا لَا أَرَى
And upon him be peace, the mercy of Allah, and His blessings. You see what I do not see.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6249, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, reported:
كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا تَكَلَّمَ بِكَلِمَةٍ أَعَادَهَا ثَلَاثًا حَتَّى تُفْهَمَ عَنْهُ وَإِذَا أَتَى عَلَى قَوْمٍ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ ثَلَاثًا
When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would speak, he repeated himself three times until he was understood. Whenever he came to people and greeted them with peace, he would greet them three times.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 95, Grade: Sahih
Al-Miqdam ibn al-Aswad, may Allah be pleased with him, reported:
كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَجِيءُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمًا لاَ يُوقِظُ نَائِمًا وَيُسْمِعُ الْيَقْظَانَ
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would come during the night and he would greet with peace, such that those who were sleeping would not be awakened but those who were awake would hear it.
Source: Sahih Muslim 2055, Grade: Sahih
Asma’ bint Yazid, may Allah be pleased with her, reported:
مَرَّ عَلَيْنَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي نِسْوَةٍ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْنَا
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, passed by us while we were with a group of women and he greeted us with peace.
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 5204, Grade: Hasan
Imam Ibn Battal commented:
سَلَامُ الرِّجَالِ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ وَالنِّسَاءِ عَلَى الرِّجَالِ جَائِزٌ إِذَا أُمِنَتِ الْفِتْنَةُ
Men greeting women and women greeting men with peace is permissible, as long as there is no risk of temptation.
Source: ‘Awn al-Maʻbūd 14/75
Jabir ibn Sulaym reported: I saw a man whose opinions the people took seriously. He would not say anything but that they accepted it. I said, “Who is this?” They said, “This is the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.” I said twice, “Upon you be peace, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet said:
لَا تَقُلْ عَلَيْكَ السَّلَامُ فَإِنَّ عَلَيْكَ السَّلَامُ تَحِيَّةُ الْمَيِّتِ قُلْ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ
Do not say, ‘Upon you be peace,’ as such is the greeting for the deceased. Say, ‘Peace be upon you.’
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4084, Grade: Sahih
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
يُسَلِّمُ الرَّاكِبُ عَلَى الْمَاشِي وَالْمَاشِي عَلَى الْقَاعِدِ وَالْقَلِيلُ عَلَى الْكَثِيرِ
The rider should greet with peace those who are walking, those who are walking should greet those who are sitting, and a small group should greet a larger group.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6232, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
In another narration, the Prophet said:
يُسَلِّمُ الصَّغِيرُ عَلَى الْكَبِيرِ
The young should greet elders with peace.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6233, Grade: Sahih
Abu Umamah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِاللَّهِ مَنْ بَدَأَهُمْ بِالسَّلَامِ
Verily, the closest to Allah are those who are first to greet with peace.
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 5197, Grade: Sahih
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِذَا لَقِيَ أَحَدُكُمْ أَخَاهُ فَلْيُسَلِّمْ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنْ حَالَتْ بَيْنَهُمَا شَجَرَةٌ أَوْ جِدَارٌ أَوْ حَجَرٌ ثُمَّ لَقِيَهُ فَلْيُسَلِّمْ عَلَيْهِ أَيْضًا
When one of you meets his brother, let him greet him with peace. If they are separated by a tree, a wall, or a stone, and he meets him again, let him greet him with peace again.
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 5200, Grade: Sahih
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to me:
يَا بُنَيَّ إِذَا دَخَلْتَ عَلَى أَهْلِكَ فَسَلِّمْ يَكُنْ بَرَكَةً عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ
O my son, when you enter upon your family, greet them with peace. It will be a blessing for you and the people of your household.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2698, Grade: Hasan
Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, reported:
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَرَّ عَلَى غِلْمَانٍ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would pass by young boys and greet them with peace.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6247, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Usamah ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him, reported:
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَرَّ بِمَجْلِسٍ وَفِيهِ أَخْلَاطٌ مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْيَهُودِ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, passed by a mixed gathering of Muslims and Jews and he greeted them all with peace.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2702, Grade: Sahih
Rib’i ibn Hirash reported: A man from the tribe of ‘Amir sought permission to enter the home of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. The man said, “May I enter?” The Prophet said to his servant:
اخْرُجْ إِلَى هَذَا فَعَلِّمْهُ الِاسْتِئْذَانَ فَقُلْ لَهُ قُلْ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَأَدْخُلُ
Go out to this man and teach him how to ask permission to enter. Tell him to say, ‘Peace be upon you, may I enter?’
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 5177, Grade: Sahih
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
