Is it permissible to greet a group of young men who are all smoking?
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The questioner : If one passes by people who are smoking... should one greet them?
The Shaykh : Yes, greet them, for two reasons: First, they may believe that smoking is permissible, and if they believe it is permissible, there is no obligation to refute them in matters of independent legal reasoning. Second, not greeting them will only increase their hatred for you and their rejection of your advice. But if you greet them and advise them, good will result from that.
The questioner : ... If ... someone sneezes, does he greet or ...?
The Shaykh : We seek help from Allah, heh, what is the difference? This is a strange distinction. I mean, if he sneezes, he finds a reason to praise Allah, and if he passes by, he finds a reason to greet, but is there a time difference between them? Can he say "Praise be to Allah" and "Peace be upon you"? Yes, what is the problem? It does no harm; the intention is what matters.
The Shaykh : Yes, greet them, for two reasons: First, they may believe that smoking is permissible, and if they believe it is permissible, there is no obligation to refute them in matters of independent legal reasoning. Second, not greeting them will only increase their hatred for you and their rejection of your advice. But if you greet them and advise them, good will result from that.
The questioner : ... If ... someone sneezes, does he greet or ...?
The Shaykh : We seek help from Allah, heh, what is the difference? This is a strange distinction. I mean, if he sneezes, he finds a reason to praise Allah, and if he passes by, he finds a reason to greet, but is there a time difference between them? Can he say "Praise be to Allah" and "Peace be upon you"? Yes, what is the problem? It does no harm; the intention is what matters.