How to Reply to “Assalamu Alaikum” (For Muslims & Non-Muslims)

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Learn more about the etiquette and importance of greetings in Islam
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The term “Assalamualaikum” (or “Assalamu Alaikum”) is a central greeting for Muslims worldwide, meaning “Peace be upon you.” If you’re greeted this way and aren’t sure how to answer, we’ve got you covered. Read on to learn how to respond as a Muslim or non-Muslim and master the etiquette of Islamic greetings .

Replying to “Assalamu Alaikum”

Respond to “Assalamu Alaikum” (“Peace be upon you”) with “Wa alaikum Salam,” meaning “And peace be upon you.” Or, use the longer phrase “Wa Alaikum Salam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh” (“And upon you be peace, the mercy of Allah, and His blessings”). This response expresses goodwill to the person you’re greeting.

Section 1 of 4:

Common Responses to “Assalamu Alaikum”

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  1. 1
    “Wa alaikum Salam” (“And peace be upon you”) Muslims widely use this traditional exchange as a way to wish peace and blessings on the person they’re meeting. By saying both “Assalamu Alaikum” as a greeting and “Wa Alaikum Salam” as a response, they express respect and goodwill toward the other person, and a wish for the other person’s safety and protection from harm. [1]
    • Arabic: وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامُ
    • It’s called the Salam greeting, based on a hadith, or saying of the Prophet Muhammad, which focuses on the importance of greeting another Muslim in peace. “As-Salam” is one of the 99 names of Allah; it means “source of peace.” The Prophet said, "As-Salam is one of the Names of Allah Almighty, which Allah has placed on the earth. Therefore, give the greeting among yourselves." — Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 989 [2]
    • This hadith emphasizes that using one of God's names when greeting others is a way to honor and be grateful to Allah .
  2. 2
    “Wa Alaikum Salam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh” This longer answer translates to “And upon you be peace, the mercy of Allah, and His blessings.” It’s a reply often used when “Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh” is used as a greeting (the longer form of “Assalamu Alaikum” meaning “Peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you”). [3]
    • Arabic: وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
    • This longer form is used to greet in Islam and reply to other Muslims to more formally adhere to Islamic teachings, strengthen their bond with their fellow Muslims, and offer additional blessings to the original greeting.
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Section 2 of 4:

Muslim & Non-Muslim Greeting Etiquette

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  1. 1
    Muslim-to-Muslim greeting and response When Muslims greet each other, one person tries to return a greeting with an equal or even better one. The Quran states that, “And when you are greeted, respond with a better greeting or at least similarly. Surely Allah is a vigilant Reckoner of all things.” (وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍۢ فَحَيُّوا۟ بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَآ أَوْ رُدُّوهَآ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَسِيبًا) — An-Nisa 4:86 [4]
    • This greeting and reply date back to a hadith involving the ruler Umar, who was with Abu Bakr. As they passed by others, Abu Bakr greeted them with “Assalamu alaikum,” to which they replied: “Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatu Allah.” He may have also greeted them with “Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatu Allah.” To this, they replied “Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatu Allah wa barakatuh.” Abu Bakr noted the following about the exchange: “Today, people have gained much more than us.” [5]
  2. 2
    Muslim response to a non-Muslim greeting If a non-Muslim greets you with “Assalamua Alaikum,” you can respond with either reply (“Wa alaikum Salam” or “Wa Alaikum Salam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh”), although it’s more common to respond with the shorter reply. You may even respond with a short “Wa alayka” (“and upon you”). This still acknowledges the greeting with a gesture of peace and goodwill, which is an important part of being a strong Muslim . [6]
  3. 3
    Non-Muslim response to Muslim greeting If a Muslim says “Assalamu Alaikum” to you, and you’re a non-Muslim, it’s generally acceptable to reply with the basic response: “Wa alaikum Salam,” meaning “And peace be with you.” However, many Muslims believe that non-Muslims should say “Wa Alaikum” (“And upon you”) or simply “Salam” (“Peace”) as a response. [7]
    • Muslims might not choose to address non-Muslims with “Assalamu Alaikum,” mainly because they want to avoid any miscommunication when they’re not sure if the non-Muslim understands the greeting. Some consider using this greeting to a non-Muslim as “makruh,” which means it’s “disliked, but not forbidden.” [8]
    • Some scholars advise against Muslims using “Assalamu Alaikum” to non-Muslims, because it may be understood as submitting to the non-Muslim person, which can feel humiliating to Muslims, although this view is not universal. [9]
    • The salam greeting is considered a divine prayer; if it’s said to non-Muslims, some believe that it expresses elements of the Islamic faith not present in the other person, who is a non-believer. [10]
    • It’s sometimes considered preferable to greet a non-Muslim with a simpler greeting, like “salam,” meaning “peace” (سَلَامٌ) . Other standard English greetings are also used, like “hello” in Arabic or English, or something like “good day.”
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Section 3 of 4:

What Does Assalamu Alaikum mean?

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  1. “Assalamu Alaikum” means “Peace be upon you.” It’s considered the standing greeting in Islam from one Muslim to another. Though some Muslims believe it’s not proper for a Muslim to greet a non-Muslim this way, there is a good amount of evidence that states that Muslims can greet people of every religion and faith with “salam,” or “peace.” [11]
    • In the Quran, the Prophet Muhammad states the following: “O people, spread the greeting of peace profusely, maintain kinship ties, feed others, and pray at night when people are asleep, you will enter Paradise in peace.” — Sunan Ibn Majah 32:51 [12]
    • In practice, a Salam greeting like “ Assalamu Alaikum ” is a way to honor others, wish for their well-being, and encourage peace.
Section 4 of 4:

The Importance of “Salam” in Muslim Greetings

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  1. 1
    Greeting others with “salam” is a symbol of the Islamic faith. One of the main tenets of Islam is to foster unity and harmony in the Muslim community. This means promoting peace and encouraging friendly relations with all peoples, whether Muslim or non-Muslim. [13]
    • This idea is highlighted in a statement from the Prophet Muhammad, who, when asked, “Which Islam is best?” replied, “That you feed the hungry and you greet with peace those you know and those you do not know.” — Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 28, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 39 [14]
  2. 2
    Shaking hands (“musafaha”) is an important ritual that emphasizes love. To shake someone else’s hands when greeting them is a sign of brotherly love and unity among Muslims, especially after praying in Islam . In addition to being polite and a gesture of respect, shaking hands is also said to rid both parties of hatred, as well as their sins, after parting from each other. [15]
    • This idea comes from the following saying from the Prophet Muhammad: "Verily, when the Muslim shakes hands with his brother, both of their sins fall away like the falling of leaves from a tree.” — Musnad al-Bazzār 8335
    • Muslim males might avoid shaking hands with Muslim females who are not close relatives (“mahram”). Instead, they may bow to them or place their hand on their own chest to show respect.
    • There are no specific mentions in the Prophet Muhammad’s teachings about not shaking hands with a non-Muslim.
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      • If you’re a non-Muslim and aren’t sure how to respond to “Assalamu Alaikum,” ask Muslims you know how they feel about it. Appreciate their preferences when communicating, and always greet others with kindness and respect, no matter what their religion is.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.arabnews.com/node/285666
      2. ↑ https://www.reviewofreligions.org/39056/salam-a-greeting-that-can-establish-peace-in-the-world/
      3. ↑ https://www.arabnews.com/node/285666
      4. ↑ https://quran.com/an-nisa/86
      5. ↑ https://www.arabnews.com/node/285666
      6. ↑ https://dawahinstitute.org/should-one-say-salaam-to-non-muslims/
      7. ↑ https://seekersguidance.org/answers/shafii-fiqh/how-should-muslims-greet-non-muslims-or-reply-to-their-greetings/
      8. ↑ https://fiqh.islamonline.net/en/makruh-its-meaning-and-concept/
      9. ↑ https://dawahinstitute.org/should-one-say-salaam-to-non-muslims/
      1. ↑ https://seekersguidance.org/answers/shafii-fiqh/how-should-muslims-greet-non-muslims-or-reply-to-their-greetings/
      2. ↑ https://www.utrujj.org/can-you-say-salam-to-non-muslims/
      3. ↑ https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah:3251
      4. ↑ https://www.virtualmosque.com/islam-studies/rules-of-greeting-non-muslims-in-islam-saying-salaamreplying-salaam-bynurideen-lemu-an-nigeri/
      5. ↑ https://www.abuaminaelias.com/dailyhadithonline/2012/09/10/greet-peace-do-not-know/
      6. ↑ https://www.abuaminaelias.com/dailyhadithonline/2019/06/16/fall-like-leaves-shaking-hands/

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