Advice to Students of Knowledge on Spreading the Salam

Question : Your Eminence the Shaykh! I ask that you direct advice to our brothers, the students of knowledge, regarding the fact that they do not spread the salam among themselves in the required manner.

Answer : The advice is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "By Allah, This hadith is sufficient as a warning for anyone whose heart is alive, but as for one whose heart is dead, there is no benefit in it. Spread the salam when you pass by, even if it is only one person. Even if it is only one person, greet him. Spread the salam even if the person you meet is young and you are old. Do not leave the Sunnah between you. Greet with the salam. Whether the duration is long or short. Embrace the one you greet by bringing your head close to his head until your necks differ. And kiss him.
If you have come from a journey, otherwise do not kiss us, as al-Sha'bi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, "They used to not kiss one another when they met except when returning from a journey." And beware of doing what people have innovated today. When he meets you, he shakes your head. He shakes your head, O son of a head. Meaning he takes hold of the top of your head and kisses the head. This is wrong. This is not the greeting of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or his Companions. Rather, they used to take one another by the hand, and this is a handshake, and they used to kiss one another, and this is as you heard from al-Sha'bi (may Allah have mercy on him) that he said, "They used to not embrace one another or kiss except upon returning from a journey." And what is the formula for the salam?
You say, "As-salamu alaykum" or "As-salamu alayka," and the response is by saying, "Alaykum as-salam" or "Alayka as-salam," according to what he said. If he said, "As-salamu alaykum," say, "Alaykum as-salam." If he said, "As-salamu alayka," say, "Alayka as-salam."