Is it from the Sunnah to repeat the greeting to each person in the gathering, or is it sufficient to offer the greeting to them only once?

The questioner : I understood what you meant and went on...

The Shaykh : It is the custom of the Muslim brothers that when one of them enters, they have made it their practice to greet each person in the gathering individually: "As-salamu alaykum, as-salamu alaykum, as-salamu alaykum." This is contrary to the Sunnah because it is based on affectation and pretense. The Sunnah is that when one enters, he offers the greeting to all those present at once: "As-salamu alaykum." If the group is small and it is easy, he shakes their hands without repeating the greeting. If the group is large such that it would involve some affectation and discomfort, he sits where his place is and has fulfilled his obligation with the first greeting. However, if the gathering is small and he has already offered the greeting initially, he shakes their hands one by one without saying "As-salamu alaykum, as-salamu alaykum," because this is contrary to the Sunnah. Is that clear now?

The questioner : Is that clear?

The Shaykh: All right.

Another questioner : Is the criterion in the matter of shaking hands the number of people, or the ease of shaking hands? The number might be small, but the situation...?

The Shaykh : No, it is not the number, but rather what I mentioned earlier: removing discomfort.

The questioner : Removing discomfort.