International Shia News Agency
Quran & Etrat

The importance of greeting in Islam

SHAFAQNA – In the month of Ramadhan I was going towards my house, and I saw Imam Hussain (AS) was coming out of the Mosque and a few people were with him. I rushed towards them, and shouted: Wait for me. They waited for me and when I came close to them, I said: My God accepts your Salaat and fasting, and gives you good health. Imam Hussain (AS) replied: May God gives you good health also, and accepts your Salaat and fasting. Then Imam Hussain (AS) said: I am sorry to bother you, but I wanted to say something to you: was it not better for you to say Salaam first and then say other things? Saying Salaam is preferred to any other words; now I am all ears, say what you wanted to say. I asked Imam (AS) for advice about an issue and he guided me like a kind brother. One of the companions of Imam (AS) asked: By the way, why they say: First Salaam, then talk? Imam Hussain (AS) replied: To say Salaam is Mostahab (recommended) but to reply is Wajib. For the one who says Salaam. 69 rewards are written, but for the one who replies, one reward is written. And when I was leaving, Imam Hussain (AS) said: The most ungenerous of people is the one who deprives himself/herself and misses the rewards of saying Salaam. And on my way back, I was thinking to myself, that is why the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) by saying Salaam first to anyone, even to children, was teaching a lesson of life to people, and at the same time was rewarded for the good deed [1].

[1] Tohaful Oqool, Page 248.

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