 |
 |
 |
|
|
| Hadeeth |
|
What is the ruling of greeting a non-Muslim? |
Author : Shaykh Saalih al-Uthaimeen
Source : Fataawa al-Aqeedah Shaykh Uthaimeen
Translated By : Tawfeeq aboo Zaynab
Produced By: Daarul Hadeeth wal Athar |
|
Question:
What is the ruling of greeting a non-Muslim?
Answer: The initiation of the salaams
to the non-Muslim is Muharram (forbidden) and impermissible.
The Prophet (sallallaahuAalaihiWassallam) said: “Don’t
initiate the Salaam’s (the greeting) with the Jews
and the Christians first and when you meet them on
the road, force them to go to the narrowest part of
it”
But if they greet you then it is incumbent upon you
to return the greeting to them in general (based on)
the statement of Allaah Ta’la
When you are greeted
with a greeting, greet in return with what is better
than it, Or (at least) return it equally.
And the Jews use to greet the Prophet (sallallaahuAalaihiWassallam)
saying “May As-saam be upon you O Muhammad” (i.e.)
meaning death, (they were actually) invoking death
upon Rasoolilaah –(sallallaahuAalaihiWassallam), therefore
the Prophet said,surely the Jews say death be upon
you, so if they greet you with that then say you all,
"wa ‘alaykum" (i.e. to you).
And concerning his (saying) “to you” it is evident
that if they were to say explicity "As-salaamu Alaykum"
then, to them is the returning of the greeting(from
us); just as they say (to us), we say the same to
them.
And some of the people of knowledge said concerning
this issue, If indeed the Jews, Christians and other
than them from the non-Muslims say the greeting clearly
(then) it is permissible for us to say “Alaykumus-salaaam”.
And it is also not permissible to initiate with greeting
[to them] like "Ahlan WA Sahlan" (i.e. welcome) or
that which resembles it, since it indicates that one
is honoring them and aggrandizing them. But if they
say to us the above greeting then indeed we return
the same greeting which they said to us, since Islaam
came with justice and (we) give everyone their just
right.
And it is known that the Muslims have a high status
and position with Allaah, therefore it not necessary
to lower ourselves to other than the Muslims by initiating
the greeting to them with the Salaams, so we say in
conclusion concerning the answer, It is not permissible
to initiate the Salaams to a non-muslim since the
Prophet (sallallaahuAalaihiWassallam) forbade us from
that, and in this there is a form of degradation of
the Muslims. When initiating [the Salaams] it enhances
power of the non-muslim whereas the muslim has a higher
[position than the non-muslim] with Allaah the almighty
therefore it is not necessary to degrade oneself in
this affair.
As for when they give us the Salaams then we return
the similar greeting to them. Also it is not permissible
to initiate with them the greeting the likes of "Ahlan
wa sahlan wa marhaban" [welcoming them] and that which
is similar to that. |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
