We have a person in the company who is responsible for us and is always in a state of anger; he rarely returns our greeting, and when we greet him, he does not return the greeting. Do we receive reward for that?

The questioner : We have a person in the company who is responsible for us and is always in a state of anger; he rarely returns our greeting, and when we greet him, he does not return the greeting. Do we receive reward for our patience in that? And what is the reward of the one who returns the greeting and responds to it?

The Shaykh : There is no doubt that if a person is patient with the harm of his brothers and their failure to fulfill his right, and he seeks reward from Allah the Exalted, then he is rewarded for that. However, it is recommended that the brothers, especially those who are partners in a work, be united and loving toward one another, that some of them greet the others and some return the greeting, and that there be no hatred or anger in the heart of any of them toward another. When they greet him and he does not return the greeting, they receive the reward, meaning the reward of greeting their brother, and he bears the burden, meaning the burden of not returning the greeting. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) mentioned that initiating the greeting is a recommended practice (sunnah) and returning it is obligatory (fard). Thus, these people are rewarded for performing the recommended practice, and the one who did not return the greeting is blameworthy for not fulfilling the obligatory duty.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.