Sunnah is My Style!

Sunnats of Greeting, Handshake and Embracing

                In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

‘Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s), his blessed descendents and noble companions.’

                                                                      Aameen.

SUNNATS OF GREETING, HANDSHAKE AND EMBRACING

S.1. The Islamic greeting should precede all other speech.

(Tirmidhi - S.K. - Vol. 3 : Pg. 432)

S.2. When Muslims meet they should greet each other with the words:

Assalamu ‘Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu.

“Peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.”

(Abu Dawud - S.K. - Vol. 3 : Pg. 437)

Note: From some weak narration it is understood that it is permissible to add “wa mugferatuh ” to the greeting , although the common practice of our Nabi SAW was not so. (Al Azkaar-S.K.-V o l. 3: Pg. 446)

S.3. The meeting and greeting should be with a smile (pleasant).

(Bukhari - S.K. - Vol. 3 : Pg. 337)

S.4, Nabi SAW said that one cannot win over a persons heart with wealth but he can with a smile and good manners.

(S.K.-Vol. 3 :Pg. 337)

S.5. The person who greets first, without waiting for the other to greet, is the better. (Tirmidhi- S.K. - Vol. 3 : Pg. 436)

S.6. Abundant greeting develops mutual love.

(Muslim - S.K. - Vol. 3 : Pg. 433-434)

Note : Our Nabi SAW encouraged abundance of greeting .

(At-Targhib - S.K. - Vol. 3 : Pg. 434-435)

S.7. Our Nabi SAW said that the one who does not reply to another’s greeting is not one of us. (S.K.-Vol. 3 : Pg. 437-438)

S.8. One should greet every person, i.e. those whom he knows and also those whom he does not know.

(Bukhari - S.K. - Vol. 3 : Pg. 448)

S.9. Our Nabi SAW always tried to be the first to greet.

(S.K. - Vol. 4 : Pg. 352-353)

S.10. The mounted should greet those walking, those who are walking should greet the sitting and the fewer should greet the many. (Bukhari-S.K. - Vol. 3: Pg. 440)

Note: One of the wisdoms in this Sunnah is that it removes ‘class differences’ as due to this guidance the rich some times will be greeting the poor and at other times the poor (will be greeting) the rich.