Islam has professed the use of the Islamic greeting when encountering another Muslim or leaving the company of another Muslim because it unifies the hearts and strengthens bonds between Muslims.

Imam Muslim reported that the prophet (S.A.W.) said, “I swear by the one whose hand my soul is in that you will not enter paradise until you believe. And you won’t believe until you love one another. May I tell you something, that if you practice it you will love another, spread the (salaam) Islamic greeting among you.” This makes it clear to us, that spreading salaam among Muslims is the first step towards paradise. This is because spreading salaam leads to increasing the love between our hearts. And the increase of love between our hearts will increase the Iman, faith.

An authentic Hadith reported by Imam Tirmithi and Ibn Majah that the Prophet (S.A.W.) said: “Oh you people, spread salaam among you, serve the food, behave kindly with your blood relations, and offer prayer at night when others are asleep, and you will enter paradise safely.” And Imam Bukhari and Muslim reported that a man asked the Prophet (S.A.W.), “What in Islam is the best?” He (S.A.W.) answered, “To feed people and to say salaam to everyone whether you know them or not.”

What is the history of the Islamic greeting, when did it start, and who was the one who chose it? Imam Bukhari and Muslim reported that the Prophet (S.A.W.) said, “When Allah created Adam he told him to go and say Assalamu Alykum to a group of Angels and listen to their reply. It is your greeting and the greeting of your descendants. Adam went and said: Assalamu Alikum they said Assalamu Alikum Wa Rahmatulah.”

The complete form for the Islamic greeting is Assalamu Alykum Wa Rahmatulah Wa Barakatuh meaning peace, mercy, and blessings be upon from Allah (SWT). This is because Abu-Dawood and Tirmithi reported in a sound Hadith that a man came to the prophet (SAW) and said, “Assalamu Alykum.” The Prophet responded and the man sat down. The Prophet said, “Ten rewards.” Another man came and said, “Assalamu Alykum Wa Rahmatullh.” The Prophet responded and the man sat down. The Prophet said, “Twenty rewards.” Then another man came and said: Assalamu Alykum Wa Rahmatulah Wa Barakatuh. The prophet responded and the man sat down. The prophet said, “Thirty rewards.”

The Scholars have agreed that starting with salaam is highly recommended. And responding is obligatory because Allah said in Surah An-Nisa’, (verse 86), what can be translated as, “When a courteous greeting is offered to you, meet it with a greeting still more courteous, or at least of equal courtesy.” It is enough for one to say the Islamic greeting to a group and it is enough for one of the group to return it. This is the meaning of the two Ahadith that were reported by Abu Dawood and Imam Malik.