The Fourth Topic: If a greeting is sent to you by letter.

The Shaykh : Among the topics of the greeting is: if a greeting is sent to you by letter, we always include in our letters "Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings." What do we do? Do we reply? It is not heard. It is not heard. We say: If you want to reply in writing, say: "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, from so-and-so to so-and-so, J/ and upon you be peace." In the reply, you do not say: "Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah." "Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah" is for the one who initiates. As for the one who replies, he writes: J/ meaning reply, and upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Did you understand? Because when a person greets, he must reply. And the reply is with "Upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings." If his letter does not require a reply, I hope that the reply is with the tongue. You say: "Upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings," even if it is not heard. But you pray for his safety from every affliction.