39/4. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2164a — Replying to As-Sam-u-Alaikum
The Prohibition Of Initiating The Greeting With The People Of The Book, And How To Respond To Them
Hadith About Replying to As-Sam-u-Alaikum
Sahih Muslim : 2164a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2164a
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، وَيَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ، وَابْنُ، حُجْرٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لِيَحْيَى بْنِ يَحْيَى - قَالَ يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ الآخَرُونَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ - عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ ابْنَ عُمَرَ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ الْيَهُودَ إِذَا سَلَّمُوا عَلَيْكُمْ يَقُولُ أَحَدُهُمُ السَّامُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَقُلْ عَلَيْكَ " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
Ibn 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: When the Jews offer you salutations, some of them say as-Sam-u-'Alaikum (death be upon you). You should say (in response to it): Let it be upon you.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2164aIn-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 9USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 26, Hadith 5382
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2164a
This Hadith explains a specific case of greeting. Ibn Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said that when some Jews offer salutations, they say as-Sam-u-Alaikum, meaning death be upon you. The taught response is: let it be upon you. The focus is a careful reply to harmful wording. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) did not teach a long argument in this report. He taught a short response that returns the wording without adding excess. Anyone searching for the as-Sam-u-Alaikum Hadith should notice the exact setting in the text. It is about a distorted greeting and the measured answer given to it.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Hadith deals with a specific harmful wording in greeting.
- The response taught is short and measured.
- A person should pay attention to what is actually said before replying.
