What is the Sunnah regarding the greeting when entering a single group in a single gathering?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : What is the Sunnah when a Muslim enters a gathering? Does he greet everyone once, or does he greet each person individually and shake their hands?
The Shaykh : ... If two men shake hands, he gives them a specific greeting. Which of the two do you mean? ...
The questioner : I greet the first one, then I greet...
The Shaykh : Greet the first one, then greet everyone!
The questioner : I greet upon entering and upon shaking hands, the speech.
The Shaykh : This is a second form, meaning you give each person a greeting along with the handshake. This has no basis. The Sunnah is that when you enter a gathering with people in it, you offer the greeting once. If you want to do what is better, you shake their hands, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), as some of the Companions said, never met us without shaking our hands. If the gathering is crowded and it is difficult to shake hands with each person individually, you suffice with saying "Peace be upon you" once to the people of the gathering. As for the handshake, it is for each person if it is easy, without a greeting.
The Shaykh : ... If two men shake hands, he gives them a specific greeting. Which of the two do you mean? ...
The questioner : I greet the first one, then I greet...
The Shaykh : Greet the first one, then greet everyone!
The questioner : I greet upon entering and upon shaking hands, the speech.
The Shaykh : This is a second form, meaning you give each person a greeting along with the handshake. This has no basis. The Sunnah is that when you enter a gathering with people in it, you offer the greeting once. If you want to do what is better, you shake their hands, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), as some of the Companions said, never met us without shaking our hands. If the gathering is crowded and it is difficult to shake hands with each person individually, you suffice with saying "Peace be upon you" once to the people of the gathering. As for the handshake, it is for each person if it is easy, without a greeting.