Greet others, if you believe!

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Specially Merciful.

All praise is due to Allah, The All Peace full.

"They will not hear therein (in paradise) ill speech or commission of sin -Only a saying: "Peace, peace."" (Quran 56:25-26)

Recently, I traveled to Washington DC due to my work, and went looking for food. As I entered into a restaurant, I saw a believer getting the food from the buffet. He looked at me, and I looked at him. I smiled and waited for him to say Salam, but he did not. It was an amazing display, but not surprising. It was clear that he was a believer, because he had a beard, which is the sign of a believer. Beard is usually an announcement of one's faith that they are not ashamed of obeying Allah. Anyways, I greeted him, but no reply. I wasn't sure if he did not hear me or was he ignoring me. I said it one more time, but a little louder, "AsSalamuAlaykum". This time, he turned around and returned the greeting. It felt like pulling someones tooth. At that time, above verses of Surah AlWaqia came to me, as I have been trying to memorize them. In these verses, Allah was providing a description of Jannah, where everyone will greet each other with the best of greeting.

 After finishing the food while listening to this brother giving me lecture about Satan controlling me, I took the bus to the Islamic Center nearby. As I entered, I was taken by the design and beauty of the architecture of the masjid. It looked more like a palace of a Muslim King. I heard that a masjid is paradise on this earth, so I was waiting for everyone to greet me as I entered. It did not happen. I went and sat down with a brother waiting for Maghrib Salah. When we finish Salah, I greeted the Arab brother on my right side, and the Paksitani brother on my left side. Both were pleasantly surprised with the gesture, and smiled for the first time, since I have been observing them. See, they both were ignoring each other, and I am not sure why. After I greeted them, they both greeted each other and others in the masjid.

We have become so self centered that greeting others have become an abnormal activity. I know that some of the Imam of the masajid don't greet people when they enter unless they are close to them or they know them except for Imam Hatim Hamidullah from Masjid al Haqq. He will go out of his way and greet the new faces. He will smile and greet them and welcome them to the masjid, and may have a small talk. Why not you scholars of Islam? Why not you Imam of communities? Why not greet and smile as you approach people who you do not know? You don't have to come and sit with the people you know, to read a book or chit chat. Isn't the masjid part of paradise? There should be greetings flying left and right, and smiles on most faces as their eyes meet. We should not be like the donkeys who carry the knowledge of Quran and Hadith, but do not practice. Come on now! Walk up to that brother in the far side who looks new, and welcome him with a greeting. I guarantee you that there will be happiness in both hearts.

In fact, we should greet the the strangers on the streets, in the market, and at the workplace, regardless of if they are believers, muslims, or non-muslims. Greeting to strangers diffuses any silent tension that may be building in their head as they see your beard, and your wife's hijab (of course this is assuming that you are practicing Islam). It is the best form of dawah to Islam. It is the key to success at work. It is the bond that will tie the community. If you observe the people, you can tell by how they greet each other, how much they care about each other. Many times, I walk in the masjid, and I see people just ignore anyone who they don't know, and go straight for the group they recognize "Arey Chaudray Sahib kaisey hain aap...?" "Kaifal Haalak ...?"


Narrated Abu Hurayrah
The Messenger of Allah, said: You shall not enter paradise so long as you do not affirm belief (in all those things which are the articles of faith) and you will not believe as long as you do not love one another. Should I not direct you to a thing which, if you do, will foster love amongst you: (i.e.) give currency to (the practice of paying salutation to one another by saying) as-salamu alaykum. (Sahih Muslim 96)

Many discuss with me why we don't have unity in our communities, and the same people do not greet strangers in the masjid. How do they expect the unity to come, if they would not surrender their ego to Allah and walk up to a brother that is not from their circle and greet them with a smile? I do not know of any thing better than greeting one another, to create brotherhood.

I claim that a person who does not greet every living thing has not yet believed. A believer should greet an animal, an empty house, a muslim, a believer, and a non-believer. A believer should greet others before they greet. A believer should greet strangers.

Please greet anyone and everyone, as you will do in the Jannah, if you believe. Of course, If you do not believe, continue avoiding greetings.

P.S.  I like to share a painful detail. One of the brother told me today that Imam of Masjid Al-Sunnah described the lifestyle of Americans as pigs, and hence causing a new female convert to Islam to suffer and cry. I do not know the details of the Friday sermon, but I wish we can avoid it. It is unfortunate that we bring scholars who do not understand the culture, and they will harm our chances. We should find a way to replace them with scholars who understand American culture and benefit Islam in USA. Inviting Non-Muslims in USA is our primary goal. 

JazakAllah Khairin

A person who greets you greetings of peace.
AbuArman Jumani