The ruling on returning the salam when the salam is heard from the radio or television

Question:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. The brother 'Umar Sa'd Abu Bakr from the Central African Republic sent a question, saying: If we hear the salam on the radio, do we return it to the Muslim, or how do you guide us? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
The Muslim on the radio is offering the salam in general; he is not offering it to a specific person. If the salam is offered in general, it is sufficient for one person to return it, and this is a collective obligation (fard kifayah). This is if the Muslim is offering the salam directly to a group; if a person offers the salam to a group, then returning it is a collective obligation (fard kifayah) upon that group. On the radio, the Muslim is not direct, and it may be a recording. Does it not take the ruling of a direct salam? Yes.