42/28. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2722 — Say As-Salamu Alaik
What Has Been Related About It Being Disliked To Say: "Alaikas-Salam" When Initiating The Greeting
Hadith on Saying As-Salamu Alaik Correctly
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2722
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2722
حَدَّثَنَا بِذَلِكَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْخَلاَّلُ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ عَنْ أَبِي غِفَارٍ الْمُثَنَّى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الطَّائِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي تَمِيمَةَ الْهُجَيْمِيِّ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سُلَيْمٍ قَالَ أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ عَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمُ . فَقَالَ " لاَ تَقُلْ عَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمُ وَلَكِنْ قُلِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ " . وَذَكَرَ قِصَّةً طَوِيلَةً وَهَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Jabir Bin Sulaim Narrated from:
I Went To The Prophet (ﷺ) And I Said: ''Alaikas-Salam (Upon You Be Peace)' So He Replied: 'Do Not Say "'Alaikas-Salam" Rather Say As-Salamu Alaik.'" And He Mentioned The Story In Its Entirety.
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2722In-book reference : Book 42, Hadith 35English translation : Vol. 5, Book 40, Hadith 2722
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2722
This Hadith gives a short and direct lesson on salam etiquette in Islam. Jabir bin Sulaim came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and said Alaikas-Salam. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected him and told him not to say it that way. Instead, he taught him to say As-Salamu Alaik. The meaning is clear: the greeting of Islam has a known wording, and Muslims should follow the wording taught by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. The Hadith also shows that even small words matter in acts of manners and worship-like speech. A simple greeting can carry the Sunnah when it is said in the taught way.
What we learn from this hadith
- Muslims should use the greeting taught by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- Small wording changes can matter in Islamic manners.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected the man without harshness.
- As-Salamu Alaik is a proper form of greeting in this narration.
