Answering the Greeting.

The Shaykh : And the prescribed formula is, as I said, "As-salamu alaykum" (Peace be upon you). The answer, when you greet a person with "As-salamu alaykum," must be the same as the beginning. This is based on the saying of Allah the Exalted: So, if you say "As-salamu alaykum," meaning you are invoking peace for your companion, is it sufficient in the response to say "Ahlan wa marhaban" (Welcome)? We look at it: if he says "Ahlan wa marhaban," did he invoke peace for you? No, it is only a welcome. So, if he says "Ahlan wa marhaban" a thousand times, it does not suffice; it does not suffice for the obligatory requirement. Thus, the one who limits himself to "Ahlan wa marhaban" is sinful if he knows that this response is not sufficient, for he commits a sin. Say "Alaykum as-salam" (And upon you peace), then welcome him as you wish. For this reason, it came in the authentic hadith that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was raised to the heavens, or rather to the heavens, whenever he greeted someone in the heavens, they returned the greeting to him and said, "Welcome to the righteous prophet and the righteous brother," except for Adam and Ibrahim, who said, "Welcome to the righteous prophet and the righteous son." In any case, the hadith states: "So he returned the greeting and said, 'Marhaban' (Welcome)." This indicates that a person saying "Marhaban" or "Ahlan" or "Hiyak Allah" (May Allah keep you) or the like in the response is not returning the greeting, and the person has not been absolved of his obligation. He must say "Alaykum as-salam" and then welcome and greet as he wishes. And it is amazing that this Muhammadan, Prophetic formula, "As-salamu alaykum, alaykum as-salam", is almost lost in telephone calls. When you call your companion and he picks up the receiver, what do you say? "Ah?" You say "Hello." What does "Hello" mean? "Marhaban" or "Ahlan" or the like. Say "As-salamu alaykum," so that he returns it to you and says "Alaykum as-salam." If you say this, you have obtained ten good deeds, and when he returns it, he also obtains ten good deeds. And have you seen if some people were told, "Every time you say 'As-salamu alaykum,' we will give you one riyal," would they greet or not? Yes? They would greet. They would greet everyone they meet, the young and the old, and perhaps they would mistake a pillar for a person and greet it, because they want to get what? A riyal. But this is ten good deeds stored up on a day when you will be in the greatest need of them.