Is gesturing with the hand a substitute for the phrase of greeting? And is it obligatory to convey the greeting of one who entrusted it to you?
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The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you. Is gesturing a substitute for the verbal phrase in greeting? One person raises his hand and says, "Like this," and the second person responds and says, "Like this"?
The Shaykh : Gesturing is not.
The questioner : The one entrusted, meaning the one to whom the greeting was entrusted, does he commit a sin if he does not convey it to the one entrusted?
The Shaykh : You have done well. You have asked two questions, O Musa. As for the first, it is not permissible for a person to limit himself to gesturing, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited that. However, if a person is far away or is deaf, combine the gesture with the verbal phrase; say "As-salamu alaykum." As for limiting oneself to the gesture alone, that is not allowed. Here there are three cases: The first is to limit oneself to the gesture only; this is not permissible. The second is the verbal phrase only; this is permissible and is the original rule. The third is to combine the gesture with the verbal phrase; this is done if there is a reason, such as the person being far away or being unable to hear. Combine the gesture with the verbal phrase. Is that clear? As for conveying the greeting to the one who entrusted it to you, if you accepted that and said, when he said, "Convey my greeting to so-and-so," you said, "Yes, if Allah wills," then it is obligatory for you to convey it. But in such a case, if he says to you, "Convey my greeting to so-and-so," say, "If Allah wills, as long as I do not forget," so that you do not incur sin. Otherwise, the scholars have said that if one commits to conveying it, it becomes obligatory for him to convey it. Yes.
The questioner : Here, O Shaykh, many people mean to say, "We convey to you the greeting."
The Shaykh : Yes, peace be upon them all. Yes.
The Shaykh : Gesturing is not.
The questioner : The one entrusted, meaning the one to whom the greeting was entrusted, does he commit a sin if he does not convey it to the one entrusted?
The Shaykh : You have done well. You have asked two questions, O Musa. As for the first, it is not permissible for a person to limit himself to gesturing, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited that. However, if a person is far away or is deaf, combine the gesture with the verbal phrase; say "As-salamu alaykum." As for limiting oneself to the gesture alone, that is not allowed. Here there are three cases: The first is to limit oneself to the gesture only; this is not permissible. The second is the verbal phrase only; this is permissible and is the original rule. The third is to combine the gesture with the verbal phrase; this is done if there is a reason, such as the person being far away or being unable to hear. Combine the gesture with the verbal phrase. Is that clear? As for conveying the greeting to the one who entrusted it to you, if you accepted that and said, when he said, "Convey my greeting to so-and-so," you said, "Yes, if Allah wills," then it is obligatory for you to convey it. But in such a case, if he says to you, "Convey my greeting to so-and-so," say, "If Allah wills, as long as I do not forget," so that you do not incur sin. Otherwise, the scholars have said that if one commits to conveying it, it becomes obligatory for him to convey it. Yes.
The questioner : Here, O Shaykh, many people mean to say, "We convey to you the greeting."
The Shaykh : Yes, peace be upon them all. Yes.