The Islamic greeting of salam is a beautiful expression of faith and goodwill among Muslims. Some of the reasons why we greet each other with salam (by saying salamun alaykum or assalamu alaykum or other forms of the greeting) are:
- Saying salam increases love and compassion among believers
- It is a declaration of peace and a statement of being on the same side as the other person
- It is a form of supplication for the safety and success of the person we are greeting (because salam in Arabic means peace that comes with safety)
- It is a remembrance of Allah, since one of His names is As-Salam (one who interacts with you in a way that He desires your safety and well-being without any evil or harm)
- It is the unique greeting of Islam and a demonstration of faith
- It is a sign of humbleness and a way to get rid of pride
However, even though it is common for Muslims to greet each other outside of the home using salam, within the home, salam is sometimes replaced with other greetings, or no greeting at all!
Why is this the case? Family members might think that salam is for formal settings, whereas in the home they would like to be informal with each other. Or, they may not realize the many spiritual blessings of salam.
Saying salam and responding to it is part of the Islamic culture that the Ahlul Bayt wanted us to establish within our homes and when meeting and greeting one another. Here are some traditions that illustrate the importance of saying salam within the home:
- The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family): O Anas! … When you enter the home, greet your family with salam in order to increase the blessings of your home. (Al-Amaali of al-Mufid, p. 60)
- Imam as-Sadiq said, “When you enter your home, say bismillahi wa billah (in the name of Allah and by Allah), and greet your family with salam. And if there is no one present, say bismillahi wa salamun alaa rasulilllahi wa alaa ahli baytihi wassalamu alayna wa alaa ibaadillahi as-saliheen (in the name of Allah and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family and peace be upon us and the righteous servants). If you say that, the Shaytan will run away from your home.” (Bihar al-Anwar, v. 73, p. 11).
- Imam Ali said, “Train your tongue to speak gently, and to give a lot of salam. Those who love you will increase in number and those who dislike you will decrease.” (Ghurar al-Hikam, p. 435)
Let us establish and strengthen the culture of starting off every meeting in the home with the Islamic greeting of salam. The added formality of doing so is a way of ensuring that our children feel loved, and the greeting itself will attract Allah’s special mercy to our homes and everyone within.