A reminder to the one entering a gathering that he should offer the greeting of peace only once, then shake hands if it is possible for him, and not repeat the greeting with everyone.
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The Shaykh : ... I am pointing out that the Algerians have a widespread custom in the present age that is in no way part of the Sunnah, which is -- and upon you be the peace of Allah and His mercy and blessings -- that the Sunnah is that when one enters a gathering, he offers the greeting of peace once. Then, if it is possible for him to shake hands with each person present, that is fine. If it is not possible for him, he limits himself to the single greeting. As for coming to shake hands with the people present and offering each one a greeting; "peace be upon you, peace be upon you," this is one of the religious innovations that have become widespread in the present age, and one does not find a warning against it in past books because it is a newly invented matter. It did not reach the ears of the previous scholars so that they would warn against it. So this is a reminder, and a reminder benefits the believers.
The questioner : ... ؟
The Shaykh : When the one entering says "peace be upon you," and it is possible for him to shake hands, he completes the greeting with the handshake. As for "peace be upon you, peace be upon you," this is a religious innovation. And we can say: this is an Ikhwan innovation; meaning, those who innovated it are the Muslim Brotherhood, and that is due to their poverty in knowledge.
Yes.
The questioner : Our Shaykh, Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him), in "Al-Adhkar"; meaning, in the mention of the greeting or in the chapters on the greeting, he mentioned the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to speak three times to be understood, and when he greeted, he greeted three times. He quoted al-Mawardi's explanation of the hadith, saying: that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to single out some people, or meaning, the explanation of the hadith, naturally from his side, that he used to single out some people for extra affection or distance or something similar?
The Shaykh : Single them out with the greeting?
The questioner : Meaning, after he shakes hands, he says, meaning -- for example -- to twenty people, he says to one "peace be upon you" and then...
The Shaykh : This has no basis.
The questioner : Is it mere independent legal reasoning?
The Shaykh : Yes, that last one. As for the fact that the Messenger used to greet three times, that is established, of course, in the authentic hadith, and that is when he asks for permission to enter, not when he enters a gathering and the people are ready to hear the greeting. So this is not transmitted from the Messenger (peace be upon him) at all. Rather, when he stands behind the door and asks for permission to enter, he says: "Peace be upon you." As for any gathering, it is never transmitted from the Messenger (peace be upon him) that he repeated the greeting three times. This is from one aspect. From another aspect, even if this were established, that would be one thing, and what we are dealing with is another thing. Meaning, even if this were established, it would not justify this. This is entirely a different matter.
The questioner : ... ؟
The Shaykh : When the one entering says "peace be upon you," and it is possible for him to shake hands, he completes the greeting with the handshake. As for "peace be upon you, peace be upon you," this is a religious innovation. And we can say: this is an Ikhwan innovation; meaning, those who innovated it are the Muslim Brotherhood, and that is due to their poverty in knowledge.
Yes.
The questioner : Our Shaykh, Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him), in "Al-Adhkar"; meaning, in the mention of the greeting or in the chapters on the greeting, he mentioned the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to speak three times to be understood, and when he greeted, he greeted three times. He quoted al-Mawardi's explanation of the hadith, saying: that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to single out some people, or meaning, the explanation of the hadith, naturally from his side, that he used to single out some people for extra affection or distance or something similar?
The Shaykh : Single them out with the greeting?
The questioner : Meaning, after he shakes hands, he says, meaning -- for example -- to twenty people, he says to one "peace be upon you" and then...
The Shaykh : This has no basis.
The questioner : Is it mere independent legal reasoning?
The Shaykh : Yes, that last one. As for the fact that the Messenger used to greet three times, that is established, of course, in the authentic hadith, and that is when he asks for permission to enter, not when he enters a gathering and the people are ready to hear the greeting. So this is not transmitted from the Messenger (peace be upon him) at all. Rather, when he stands behind the door and asks for permission to enter, he says: "Peace be upon you." As for any gathering, it is never transmitted from the Messenger (peace be upon him) that he repeated the greeting three times. This is from one aspect. From another aspect, even if this were established, that would be one thing, and what we are dealing with is another thing. Meaning, even if this were established, it would not justify this. This is entirely a different matter.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.