Can a Muslim greet non-Muslims with “Assalamu alaykum” (meaning “peace be with you”) or reply with the similar greeting of peace (“wa ‘alaykum salam”)?
Initiating salam to Ahl al-Kitab (and other people of other faiths); Muslim scholars have differed based on their understanding of the various texts related to greetings (Sulaiman bin Khalid bin Nasir al-Harbi, Sharh Kitab al-Siyam wa al-Hajj wa al-Jihad, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah 3.13, vol.1, p.14).
While most scholars have concluded that responding to the greetings of peace is compulsory, they differed on the initiating of such greetings and on their wordings. Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah, Zadul Ma’ad, 1st Edition, 2006, vol.2, p.388, in al-Maktabah al-Shamila 3.13
The Qur’an (24:27) says: “O you who believe, do not enter houses other than yours without first announcing your presence and invoking peace (saying salaam) upon the folk thereof. That is better for you, that you may be heedful”. Likewise in an authentic hadith, the Prophet (p) also said: “Spread the greeting of peace!” (Muslim, Sahih Muslim, Dar al-Jil, Beirut, vol.1, p.53; al-Bukhari, Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Dar al-Basha’ir al-Islamiyyah).These texts appear to be general in their meaning and not restricted to greetings with Muslims only.
It was reported that Abu Umamah Al-Bahily used to say “salam” (greetings) to whoever he passed by, Muslim or non-Muslim, and used to say, “It is a greeting for the people of our religion, and an assurance of security to our non-Muslim citizens, and a Name among the Names of Allah (Al-Salam – Peace) we spread among ourselves”. Ibn Abdul-Barr, al-Tamhid, vol. 17, p.92, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, version 3.1
Responding to greetings, the general teaching of the Qur’an (4:86) is that “…when you are greeted with a greeting (of peace), greet (in return) with one which is better than it or (at least) return it (in like manner). Indeed, Allah is ever taking account of all things”. In other words, Muslims must always try and respond to the greetings of others with something better. Ibn Kathir commenting on this verse reported Al-Hasan Al-Basri saying as: “Initiating the salam is voluntary, but replying to the greeting of salam is compulsory”. Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim, Dar Tayba li al-Nashr wa al-Tawzi’, 2nd Edition. 1420AH, vol.2, p.370.
The late scholar and Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdul-Aziz bin Baaz is also reported to have said: “If a non-Muslim greets us, we respond in the same manner that he/she greets us with. So if one (of the non-Muslims) says: ‘As-salamu ‘alaikum’ clearly when greeting us, we respond by saying ‘wa alaikum salam’…”www.madeenah.com – Fatawa nur ‘ala al-Darb on 16/10/07.
Greetings belong to the category of mundane social transactions (mu’amalat) and not prescribed worship (ibadah), the general rule is that “everything in greeting is permissible except what is prohibited” by clear and explicit textual evidence of the Qur’an or Sunnah, or if it contradicts definite objectives of Shari’ah. Da’wah Institute of Nigeria, Salam to Non-Muslims, Islamic Education Trust, Minna, Nigeria, 2011, p.17.
