Abu Hurayrah quotes the Prophet as saying: “God created Adam and he was 60 arms in height. Pointing to a group of angels sitting together, He said to him: “Go and greet those over there and find out how they reply to you. This will be your own greeting and that of your offspring.” Adam said to them ‘Peace be to you, or assalam alaikum.’ They replied: ‘And to you be peace and God’s mercy, or alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah.’ Thus, they added ‘God’s mercy’ to his greeting. Every one who is admitted to heaven will be in his image. Creation continued to shrink up till now.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
This highly authentic Hadith tells us of how people’s greeting started. It was part of the training Adam received in heaven, prior to his fall to earth. We note the careful hand of God in his training. He is told to greet angels, who return his greeting with a better one, wishing him to receive God’s mercy. Prior to this, God makes it clear to him that the greeting he exchanges with the angels will be the one to use by him and future human generations. It is a greeting of peace, which is returned with an addition of mercy bestowed by God.
The Hadith includes a number of points which we will briefly explain. The first is that Adam was of a much larger stature than people today, but human stature continued to gradually shrink over many generations up to the time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) when it reached its ultimate size. This is clearly understood from the last sentence. But when people are admitted into heaven they will be in their perfect shape. It seems that Adam was of a gigantic size, which may be the size suitable for heaven, but after the fall, his size was to be made more suitable for life on earth. Hence, his shrinking, and the indication that human beings will shrink no more.
The Islamic greeting took humanity back to the greeting Adam used in heaven when he greeted those angels, and it is returned in the same way the angels used. It is the greeting of peace, or salam in Arabic. This word, salam, which means peace, is also one of God’s name. Thus, when we offer this greeting to anyone, we do not merely indicate that we are happy to be in peace with them, but we wish them God’s help and protection. Hence, the return greeting also adds a wish of mercy from God.
Bearing in mind all these connotation, the Prophet has taught us to use this greeting extensively. Al-Bara’ quotes the Prophet as saying: “Spread widely the greeting of peace, so that you will be in a position of peace and security.” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad and Ibn Hibban)
It goes without saying that when we greet people with the greeting of peace, we remove any initial misunderstanding that may exist. If this is used extensively, peace will be the guiding principle in social relations.
The Prophet encouraged such extensive use of this greeting on numerous occasions, using different forms. Abdullah ibn Amr states: “The Prophet says: ‘Worship the most merciful, give food to people and widely use the greeting of peace, and you will be in heaven’.” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Ahmad, Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)
This Hadith maps an easy way to be certain of admittance into heaven. We must worship God alone, who is referred to here in His main attribute of mercy. The other two actions are to be hospitable to other people, giving them of our food, particularly those who are poor, and to use the greeting of peace extensively, saying it even to people whom we do not know.
Another Hadith of similar import is the one in which Abu Hurayrah quotes the Prophet as saying: “You will not be admitted into heaven unless you are true believers; and you will not truly believe unless you love one another. Shall I point out to you something that generates love between you?” Those present said: ‘Yes, please, messenger of God.’ He said: “Use the greeting of peace widely.” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad and Muslim)
This Hadith states a main condition which must be met in order that people are admitted to heaven. From this condition we know that people must be true believers before they can gain a status that ensures the reward of heaven. And to be true believers, they must have an essential quality of mutual love in their community. This tells us that people cannot combine mutual hatred in their community with being true believers. The two qualities of faith and hatred are mutually exclusive. A true believer loves others and is always keen for their welfare, both in this life and in the life to come.
The Prophet then points out the way to ensure mutual love within the Muslim community, and this is to greet others, whether we know them or not, with the greeting of peace. We see evidence of this in our daily life. In Muslim countries, this quality has become part of local culture. As you walk in the street, you hear people offering this greeting to people they do not know, as they pass them by. The greeting is always returned with a better one. Thus, an air of peace and love is generated in society. This is a truly valuable quality achieved by a small gesture used widely.
A question may be asked here: when two people or more meet, who should start the greeting? The Prophet did not leave this question unanswered. Jabir reports: “The one who is riding should greet the one who is walking; and a walking person greets the one who is seated. When two persons meet as they walk, the one who offers the greeting first is more commendable.” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad)
We note here a consistent approach, placing the onus on the one who is able to see the other first, or who takes fuller view, to start. If it was left to the one who is sitting to greet the one who is walking, or the latter to greet the one who is riding, there could be some misunderstanding. If a person sitting at the doorstep of his shop is to greet the one who is walking by, he may not be heard, particularly if the latter has already begun to walk away. There is little chance of this happening in the other situation, because the walking person will offer his greeting as he is approaching the one who is seated. The same can be said in the case of a riding and a walking person: the rider is moving faster so he is better able to deal with the situation. Hence he is the one to start. But when people meet as they walk in opposite directions, then the one who starts receives a greater reward.
Arab News Islam 20 December 2002
