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Jami at-Tirmidhi 3301 (Book 47, Hadith 353) #28950
Responding to Unfamiliar Greetings

SUMMARY: When a person from the People of the Book greets you with a greeting that Allah does not greet you with, respond by saying "Whatever you said to you too".

Anas bin Malik narrated that: A Jew came to the Prophet of Allah and his Companions and said: "As-Samu Alaikum (Death be upon you)". So the people replied to him. The Prophet of Allah said: "Do you know what this person said?" They said: "Allah and His Messenger know better – he said the Salam – O Allah’s Prophet". He said: "No, rather he said like this and that. Bring him back for e=me". So they brought him back and he said: "Did you say As-Samu Alaikum? He said: "Yes". So with that Allah’s Prophet said: "When one of the People of the Book gives you the Salam, then say: "Alaika Ma Qulta (Whatever you said to you too)". He said: 'And when they come to you, they greet you with a greeting wherewith Allah greets you not.’
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنْ شَيْبَانَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ يَهُودِيًّا، أَتَى عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَأَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ السَّامُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ الْقَوْمُ فَقَالَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ‏"‏ هَلْ تَدْرُونَ مَا قَالَ هَذَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ سَلَّمَ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ لاَ وَلَكِنَّهُ قَالَ كَذَا وَكَذَا رُدُّوهُ عَلَىَّ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَرَدُّوهُ قَالَ ‏"‏ قُلْتَ السَّامُ عَلَيْكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ نَعَمْ ‏.‏ قَالَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ ‏"‏ إِذَا سَلَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فَقُولُوا عَلَيْكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ عَلَيْكَ مَا قُلْتَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏:‏ ‏(‏وإِذَا جَاءُوكَ حَيَّوْكَ بِمَا لَمْ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ اللَّهُ ‏)‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ

TOPICS
greeting  *  response  *  alaikum  *  salam  *  qulta  *  assalam

QUICK LESSONS:
Respectfully respond when greeted by someone from the People of the Book with an unfamiliar greeting.

EXPLANATIONS:
This hadith is about how one should respond when greeted by someone from the People of the Book. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was asked by a Jew to greet him with “As-Samu Alaikum”, which is an unfamiliar greeting. The Prophet ﷺ asked his companions if they knew what he said and they replied that he said “Salam”. However, he clarified that this was not what he said and asked them to bring him back for clarification. When they brought him back, it was confirmed that he did indeed say “As-Samu Alaikum” and so in response, Allah's Prophet ﷺ instructed them to reply with “Alaika Ma Qulta” which means ‘whatever you said to you too'. This hadith teaches us that we should be respectful when responding to unfamiliar greetings and not be quick in assuming or judging others.

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