Women respond to men salam.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
I have heard that if a man wishes a salaam (ASAK) to any
muslim women the women is not suppose to respond back to you. Is
this correct?
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Women respond to men
salam
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear
witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah
Nisaa verse 86:
86 When a (courteous) greeting (salaam) is offered you, meet it with a
greeting still more courteous, (or at least) of equal courtesy. Allah takes careful account of all things.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah
Noor verse 61 (part):
But if ye enter
houses greet (declare salaams upon) each other, a greeting or blessing and
purity as from Allah. Thus does Allah
make clear the Signs to you: that ye may understand.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah
Anaam verse 54:
54 When those come to thee who believe in Our Signs say: "Peace
be on you: your Lord had inscribed for Himself (the rule of) Mercy:
verily if any of you did evil in ignorance and thereafter repented and amended
(his conduct) lo! He is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful."
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 849 Narrated by Abu Yusuf Abdullah ibn Salam
Abdullah heard the Prophet (saws) say: ‘O
believers! Spread the ‘Salams’ (greetings), feed (the poor and
needy), behave kindly to your blood relations, offer prayer when others are
asleep, and (thus) enter Paradise in peace.’
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.250 Narrated by Abu Huraira
The Prophet (saws) said, "The young
should declare ‘salaams’ to the old, the passerby should declare ‘salaams’ to
the sitting one, and the small group of persons should declare ‘salaams’ upon
the large group of persons."
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 861 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik
The Prophet (saws) said to him: ‘Son, when
you enter your home declare ‘salaams’ to your people with the salutation of
peace. It will be a source of blessing for you and for the members of your
family.’
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.253B Narrated by Abdullah bin Amr
A man asked the Prophet (saws): "What
Islamic traits are the best?" The Prophet (saws) said, "Feed the
(poor and needy) people, and declare ‘salaams’ to those whom you know and those
whom you do not know."
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.753 Narrated by Al Bara bin Azib
The Prophet (saws) ordered us to do seven
other things. ‘To pay a visit to the sick; to follow funeral processions; to
say, "May Allah be merciful to you" to a sneezer if he says
"Praise be to Allah"; to return the ‘salaams’, to
accept invitations; to help others to fulfill their oaths, and to help the
oppressed ones.’
Allah and His Messenger (saws) have Commanded and Guided
the believers to declare the ‘salaams’ upon each other, absolutely regardless
of whether one knows their brethren or not; for the declaration of the
‘salaams’ in Islam is a supplication one makes in earnest for his believing
brethren, and a source of blessing and ‘hasanah’ for those who declare it and
upon those to whom it is declared.
Such is the significance and magnitude of this simple but
weighty greeting of ‘As Salaam o Alykum’ in the Sight of Allah, that not only
are the believers guided and commanded by their Lord to declare it amongst
themselves whenever they meet in the life of this earth…..it is this very same
greetings of ‘Salaams’ with which they will be greeted time and time again in
the Realms of their eternal life in the Gardens of Paradise in the Hereafter.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah
Zumar verse 73:
73 And those who feared their Lord will be led to the Garden (of
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 10 Surah
Yunus verses 9-10
9 Those who believe and work righteousness their Lord will guide them
because of their faith: beneath them will flow rivers in Gardens of Bliss.
10 (This will be) their cry therein (in
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 14 Surah
Ibraheem verse 23:
23 But those who believe and work righteousness will be admitted to
Gardens beneath which rivers flow to dwell therein for aye with the leave of
their Lord: their greeting therein will be: "Peace!"
Your Question: I have heard that if a man wishes a salaam
(ASAK) to any muslim women the women is not suppose to respond back to
you. Is this correct?
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.253B Narrated by Abdullah bin Amr
A man asked the Prophet (saws): "What
Islamic traits are the best?" The Prophet (saws) said, "Feed the
(poor and needy) people, and declare ‘salaams’ to those whom you know and
those whom you do not know."
First and foremost, it is incumbent upon the believers
that they declare ‘salaams’ or salutations of peace to their believing brethren
whenever they interact, absolutely regardless of whether they are male or
female, and absolutely regardless of whether they know them or not.
When two non-mehram members of the opposite sex declare or
respond to each others salutations, they should fear Allah and do so in purely
business-like and straight forward manner, never in a way which would give vent
to the evil desires of one’s or the other’s hearts.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me
alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
Wister