The Meaning of the Hadith: “And the best of the two is the one who initiates the salam”
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Your Excellency the Shaykh Salih. Among the questions that came in, this questioner says: In the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), “And the best of the two is the one who initiates the salam,” is the intended meaning shaking hands, or offering the salam even from a distance? Is that sufficient?
Answer:
He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 2560a He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 6724 And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So Allah says, “Leave these two until they reconcile.” This indicates the danger of quarreling and estrangement between Muslims.
So it is obligatory for the Muslim man and woman to strive for the purity of hearts and to avoid boycotting. And if it is absolutely necessary, it should not exceed three days. As for the salam, it is sufficient for one of them to offer the salam to the other by words, such that the turning away and the awkwardness that was between them is cut off, since the quarreling parties turn away and withhold from each other the good that the one who initiates the prayer has. Yes.
Your Excellency the Shaykh Salih. Among the questions that came in, this questioner says: In the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), “And the best of the two is the one who initiates the salam,” is the intended meaning shaking hands, or offering the salam even from a distance? Is that sufficient?
Answer:
He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
It is not permissible for a Muslim to have estranged relations with his brother beyond three nights, the one turning one way and the other turning the other way when they meet; the better of the two is one who is the first to give a greeting.
لا يحل لمسلم أن يهجر أخاه فوق ثلاث ليال يلتقيان فيعرض هذا ويعرض هذا خيرهما الذي يبدأ بالسلام.don't hate each other, and don't desert (cut your relations with) one another O Allah's slaves, be brothers!
لا تحاسدوا ولا تناجشوا ولا تباغضوا ولا تدابروا وكونوا عباد الله إخواناThe deeds are presented to Allah on every Monday and every Thursday, and Allah forgives every Muslim except a man who had enmity between him and his brother.
تعرض الأعمال على الله في كل اثنين وكل خميس فيغفر الله لكل مسلم إلا رجلا كانت بينه وبين أخيه شحناءSo it is obligatory for the Muslim man and woman to strive for the purity of hearts and to avoid boycotting. And if it is absolutely necessary, it should not exceed three days. As for the salam, it is sufficient for one of them to offer the salam to the other by words, such that the turning away and the awkwardness that was between them is cut off, since the quarreling parties turn away and withhold from each other the good that the one who initiates the prayer has. Yes.
Source
قناة «إذاعة القرآن الكريم»، نور على الدرب مع معالي الشيخ صالح الفوزان ح7549 — youtube.com (3:58)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.