If a non-Muslim greets you, how do you respond to him?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : A questioner asks: If a non-Muslim greets you and says "As-salamu alaykum," what do you say back to him?
The Shaykh : If a non-Muslim greets you and says "As-salamu alaykum," I say "Alaykum as-salam."
The questioner : And the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The Shaykh : No, no, we do not give them the mercy of Allah and His blessings; he is not a Muslim.
The questioner : He is not a Muslim.
The Shaykh : Yes. If a non-Muslim greets us and says "As-salamu alaykum," we say "Alaykum as-salam." But if it is unclear to us whether he said "As-salamu alaykum" or "As-samu alaykum," we say "Wa alaykum." Now, if he said "As-salamu alaykum," what is required of him? He is required to say "As-salam." For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: If they said "As-salam," what is required of them, brothers? They are required to say "As-salam." And if they said "As-salam," [we say] "Alaykum as-salam." Then look at the Islamic religion; it contains justice and it contains good manners. They say "As-samu alaykum," but I do not say "Alaykum as-salam"; I say "Wa alaykum." I omit the word "as-salam" out of aversion to mentioning it, because the Muslim is just and does not want to be stubborn. For this reason, when a Jew passed by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was with him, he said, "As-salamu alayka ya Muhammad," [meaning] "As-samu alayka ya Muhammad," which means death. Aisha said: She added [to the greeting]. We say: If you are greeted with a bad greeting, do we say, "Greet them with something worse than it"? No, we do not say that. If you are greeted with a greeting, greet them with what? With something better than it. So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade her from that and said: . Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : But do we initiate the greeting with them? Do we initiate the greeting with the disbeliever? You do not say "As-salamu alaykum." Now, if this afflicted person works in a company where his boss is, for example, a Christian, what do we do? He enters upon him. If he says "As-salamu 'ala man ittaba' al-huda" (Peace be upon him who follows the guidance), he knows [the meaning], and perhaps he will challenge him and say "Good morning" and "Good morning." But for me, I am the one speaking, not him. I do not say "Good morning to you"; I say "Good morning," and the object is omitted. Is it omitted or not omitted? It is omitted. It could mean "Good morning to me," or "Good morning to him," or "Good morning to the Muslims." Yes.
The Shaykh : If a non-Muslim greets you and says "As-salamu alaykum," I say "Alaykum as-salam."
The questioner : And the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The Shaykh : No, no, we do not give them the mercy of Allah and His blessings; he is not a Muslim.
The questioner : He is not a Muslim.
The Shaykh : Yes. If a non-Muslim greets us and says "As-salamu alaykum," we say "Alaykum as-salam." But if it is unclear to us whether he said "As-salamu alaykum" or "As-samu alaykum," we say "Wa alaykum." Now, if he said "As-salamu alaykum," what is required of him? He is required to say "As-salam." For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The Jews, or he said, the People of the Book, say "As-samu alaykum," so say "Wa alaykum."
إن اليهود أو قال أهل الكتاب يقولون السام عليكم فقولوا وعليكمUpon you be the curse and the curse
عليك السام واللعنةIndeed, Allah loves gentleness in all matters. If the People of the Book greet you, say "Wa alaykum."
إن الله يحب الرفق في الأمر كله إذا سلم عليكم أهل الكتاب فقولوا وعليكمThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : But do we initiate the greeting with them? Do we initiate the greeting with the disbeliever? You do not say "As-salamu alaykum." Now, if this afflicted person works in a company where his boss is, for example, a Christian, what do we do? He enters upon him. If he says "As-salamu 'ala man ittaba' al-huda" (Peace be upon him who follows the guidance), he knows [the meaning], and perhaps he will challenge him and say "Good morning" and "Good morning." But for me, I am the one speaking, not him. I do not say "Good morning to you"; I say "Good morning," and the object is omitted. Is it omitted or not omitted? It is omitted. It could mean "Good morning to me," or "Good morning to him," or "Good morning to the Muslims." Yes.