What exactly does the word Islam mean? It is an Arabic word that comes from the root, sa - la – ma, that means submission to the will of God. It also shares the same root for the Arabic word meaning peace.
However, it is a descriptive word that entails more than tranquillity and calmness, it also encompasses the concepts of safety, security and submission. In fact, Islam in the legal sense means submission to the One God who grants us safety, security, peace and harmony. The word Muslim (i.e. the one who submits to the will of God) is also derived from the same root, as is the Islamic greeting - Assalam.
in previous articles we have discussed the fact that all believers are linked together by various means. Most importantly is the belief that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is His messenger.
This is what distinguishes believers from non-believers. However, believers are also reminded of the bonds between them whenever they greet one another. The Islamic greeting –‘Assalam’, is in fact an invocation whereby one asks God to grant protection and security to his fellow Muslim brother. This greeting encourages believers to be a worldwide community unencumbered by tribal or nationalistic loyalties and bound together by peace and unity.
Prophet Muhammad commanded us to to greet our fellow Muslims whom we know and those whom we do not know. Thus believers try to establish peace and friendly relations by greeting and meeting one another. When
Muslims of any nationality, ethnicity or colour meet they will greet
each other as family. Believers also have rights over one another.
The Muslim has five rights over his fellow-Muslim: he should greet him with ‘salaam’, visit him when he is sick, attend his funeral, accept his invitation, and ask God to have mercy on him when he sneezes.
The
Islamic greeting is Assalam Alaikum (May God grant you protection and
security). The response to this is wa Alaikum Assalam. These brief Arabic words let Muslims know that they are among friends, not strangers. A few words of greeting reveal so much.
“When
you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better
than it, or (at least) return it equally. Certainly, God is Ever a
Careful Account Taker of all things.” (Quran 4:86)
Better
Islamic greetings include, Assalam Alaikum wa Rahmatullah, which means,
May God grant you protection, security and mercy, and Assalam Alaikum
wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh, which means, May God grant you protection,
security,
mercy
and may He bless you. Greeting in return with something better would
be, for example, after hearing the words Assalam Alaikum you would
respond, wa Alaikum Assalam wa Rahmatullah.
Making
that small effort to greet others in this manner at every opportunity
increases rewards. Each time a believer says the words Assalam Alaikum
or responds to this greeting, his bank of good deeds is increased.
One
day a man passed by the Prophet Muhammad while he was sitting with some
men, and said “Assalamu Alaikum”. The Prophet said “He will have 10
rewards”. Another man passed by and said “Assalamu alaikum wa
rahmatullah”.
The
Prophet said he will have 20 rewards”. Another man passed and said
“Assalamu alaikum wa rahmat ullaah wa barakaatuh”. The Prophet said,
and he will have 30 rewards.
In addition, throughout the Quran, God repeatedly points out that this is the Islamic
greeting. God assures us that struggling to please Him will result in
peace and security in Paradise, and when the believer enters paradise he
will be greeted by the words Assalam Alaikum.
“And those who believed (in the Oneness of God and His Messengers and whatever they brought) and did righteous deeds, will be made to enter Gardens under which rivers flow, - to dwell therein for ever (i.e. in Paradise), with the Permission of their Lord. Their greeting therein will be, salam!” (Quran 14:23)
“Salam Alaikum for you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the final home!” (Quran 13:24)
“When
those who believe in Our Ayat (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons,
signs, revelations, etc.) come to you, say, “Assalam Alaikum”; your Lord
has prescribed Mercy for Himself, so that if any of you does evil in
ignorance, and thereafter repents and does righteous good deeds (by obeying God), then surely, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran6:54)
“Those whose lives the angels take while they are in a pious state (i.e. pure from all evil, and worshipping none but God Alone) saying (to them), Assalam Alaikum enter you Paradise, because of that (the good) which you used to do (in the world).” (Quran 16:32)
“But when you enter the houses, greet one another with a greeting from God, As-salamu Alaikum - blessed and good.” (Quran 24:61)
“And
those who kept their duty to their Lord will be led to Paradise in
groups and when they reach it the its gates will be opened and the
keepers will say, Salam Alaikum, you have done well, so enter here to
abide therein.” (Quran 39:73)
Prophet
Muhammad reiterated God’s message when he said, “You will not enter
Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one
another. Shall I tell you about something which, if you do it, will
make you love one another? Greet each other with Salam”.
“Salaam”
is an Arabic word; its literal meaning is ‘peace’. It also used for
harmlessness, benefit, and protection from the evils. Salam is a name of
Allah Almighty its meaning is “May the blessing of His name descend upon you.” Hence
when someone greets Salaam to another it is as if he/she is saying to
him/her “I am offering you safety and security and I have no intention
to harm you anywhere.”
Muslims should greet each other by saying “As-Salaamu Alaikum”. One should respond with “Wa-Alaikumus Salaam”. The
response of Salaam has the similar reward as of saying salaam. Saying
salaam is the Sunnah but its response is a Fard. Our beloved Prophet
Muhammad (SAW) said:
“The person closest to Allah is the one who precedes others with greetings” (Abu Dawud). The greeting is one of the best things in Islam as Holy Prophet (PBUH) made spreading of Salaam a part of faith.
Saying Salaam is one of the rights over another Muslim as Holy Prophet (SAW) said in one of his hadith: “The
Muslim has five rights over his fellow-Muslim: he should return his
salaams, visit him when he is sick, attend his funeral, accept his
invitation, and pray for mercy for him when he sneezes” (Bukhari).Muslims should greet another fellow Muslims no matter we know them or not.
By
greeting we can establish friendly relations with one another in a
society. In Holy Quran Allah Almighty said about salaam in these words: “And
those who believed (in the Oneness of God and His Messengers and
whatever they brought) and did righteous deeds, will be made to enter
Gardens under which rivers flow, – to dwell therein forever (i.e. in
Paradise), with the Permission of their Lord.
Their greeting therein will be, salam” (Quran,
14:23). Every one of us should make a habit of saying “As-Salaamu
Alaikum”. Every time when you enter the house or see a child or an adult
say, Salaam.
There are many benefits of saying As-Salaamu Alaikum some of them are given below:
Saying As-Salaamu Alaikum is a means of extensive reward.Salaam is an aspect of Imaan. Once a man asked from Holy Prophet (SAW) about which aspect of Islam was the best then Holy Prophet (PBUH) replied: “Feeding the hungry and saying salaam to those you know and those you don’t know.”(Bukhari)
Our beloved Prophet (SAW) said: “When two Muslims meet (give salaam), and shake hands, they are forgiven their sins before they part (with each other)”(Abu Dawud). So we can say that As-Salaamu Alaikum is a source of getting rid of sins.
Saying salaam is a means of entering Jannah. Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you about something which, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread salaam (the greeting of peace) among you.”(Muslim)
In Holy Quran, Allah Almighty says: “Then, those that feared their Lord shall be driven in companies into Paradise. When they draw near its gates will be opened, and its keepers will say to them: “Salaamu ‘Alaikum”, you have done well. Enter and live in it forever.”(Quran, 39:73). From this verse of Noble Quran, we can say that Salaam is the greeting of people of Jannah.
Salaam is a prayer of peace and blessings.
In
a nutshell, Salaam is a blessing that Allah Almighty Himself send down
for us so we should use it to get rewards from Allah Almighty. Salaam
also helps us to get close to each other and also a source of removing
arrogance. May Allah Almighty help us to revive the Sunnah of saying
“As-Salaamu Alaikum”! Ameen
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