39/4. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2163b — Saying Wa Alaikum in Reply
The Prohibition Of Initiating The Greeting With The People Of The Book, And How To Respond To Them
Wa Alaikum Hadith: Replying to People of the Book
Sahih Muslim : 2163b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2163b
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي ح، وَحَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ حَبِيبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ الْحَارِثِ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَابْنُ، بَشَّارٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُمَا - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ قَتَادَةَ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّعليه وسلم قَالُوا لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِنَّ أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ يُسَلِّمُونَ عَلَيْنَا فَكَيْفَ نَرُدُّ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَ " قُولُوا وَعَلَيْكُمْ " .
Anas Narrated from:
The Companions of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said to him: The People. of the Book offer us salutations (by saying as-Salamu- 'Alaikum). How should we reciprocate them? Thereupon he said: Say: Wa 'Alaikum (and upon you too).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2163bIn-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 8USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 26, Hadith 5381
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2163b
In this Hadith, the Companions asked the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) how to answer when the People of the Book offered them salutations. His answer was direct: say Wa Alaikum. This makes the Hadith useful for people searching for the Wa Alaikum reply Hadith. The narration is a question and answer, so it is easy to understand. The Companions did not guess the response; they asked. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) gave them a short wording to use. The text does not add other actions or a wider discussion. It focuses only on how to reciprocate that greeting in a simple and controlled way.
What we learn from this hadith
- When unsure about a greeting response, the Companions asked for guidance.
- The taught reply in this report is Wa Alaikum.
- The Hadith keeps the response short and specific.
