I know that some muslims have a problem with the hadith that mentions the Prophet(SAW) replying “wa alaikum” to the Jew who said "AsSamu alaikum(Death be upon you), due to which it is stated by scholars that the sunnah is to say “wa alaikum” to the non-muslims who say Salam to us.
But this question is directed to those who dont have issue with that.
My question is, what do you do when there is lets say someone who is desi who says Salam to you and you know they are not muslim but other people dont know they are not muslim because they have a muslim name and have not told others?
For example, I have a male friend who is Pakistani, but he isnt muslim, although his family thinks he is. Now, when he says Salam to me, I say walikum Salam.
But for those who take to what I quoted above, what would you say? Like if you are with a group of people, and that person says Salam, if you said walikum only, and other people questioned you as to why you did not say full Salam, what would you say to them?
This can potentially lead to revealing something the other person doesnt want to reveal to others. What would you do in such a situation? Thanks.
I find it very difficult to just say walikum to a non-muslim who says Salam to me. I tend to think they may get offended. I mean in essence its the same as saying “walikum Salam” because they have said Salam to you and you are merely saying “and unto you”. Your thoughts?
ok, there is one more hadith that says that "dont be the first to greet them (non-muslims), but if they greet u, u shud greet them back"....
and as for jews, they did say "Assamu alaikum" to wish death for the prophet (PBUH), so in that case "wa alaikum" was a just response....but these days non-muslims greet us by using our salutations and they dont mean any harm in it....infact, i do know some non-muslims who say "As salam o alaikum" to me, but they dont know what it means.....they just wish us in this way coz they heard that this is the way we muslims greet each other....so i dont see any harm in not greeting them back with "Wa Alaikum Salam"...
I am surprised that this question even arises. As a non-muslim I greet my muslim friends (I have lots of them) with asalaam ailekum and respond to their greeting with walekum assallam (and I do know what these greetings mean) . As well I will bid them adios with a Khuda haafiz. I do this with a respect for their religion. Not one muslim has refused my greetings or complained about it.
So, sue me in a sharia court but I will continue doing what I have been doing for decades.
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*Originally posted by Arvind: *
I am surprised that this question even arises. As a non-muslim I greet my muslim friends (I have lots of them) with asalaam ailekum and respond to their greeting with walekum assallam (and I do know what these greetings mean) . As well I will bid them adios with a Khuda haafiz. I do this with a respect for their religion. Not one muslim has refused my greetings or complained about it.
So, sue me in a sharia court but I will continue doing what I have been doing for decades.
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The questions arose due to the reason explained by "knightofhearts" ... it is perfectly fine to greet them back. So rest assured we will not drag you in Shariah court.
How practical is it to not greet a non-muslim first in a multicultural society such as Canada or US? I have hired Pakistani students many summers now to work in my department. I am their boss. Actually, I created these jobs due to the fact their parents are my very good friends and these kids were having a tough time finding a summer job.
I created totally make-work projects just to get these kids jobs.
Moreover I have given glowing references for these kids, at times stretching a truth a little. In a gora society how many browns will do that for you?
You are telling me that these kids and their grateful parents should not be the first to greet me just because I am a Hindu? Get real.
After what I have done for these students, if they follow (which they or their parents never have) knightofhearts suggestion of not greeting me first it would the bewafaii of the highest order.
Arvind, I'm not sure, but I think when it says not to greet first, it means not to greet with "Salam" first. But a mutual greeting would be fine, I am guessing. Don't quote me on that.
Explain me the morality of not greeting first or not responding a non-Muslim who created a job for you and who showing respect for your religion says "salaam alekum" (basically peace be with you) to you. At the time this haddith was written, the Prophet (SAWS) lived in the arabia which was certainly not a multi-cultural multi-religious place that Canada or US or every other darul al haraam is today.
Well bahenji, let me make it simple. I have 8 applications for this summer's jobs on my desk right now. Three of them are from muslims. Just so I don't put muslims in awkward position of having to greet their boss either first or in response to my greeting, I will just not hire anyone is muslim. Some of these applicants have been looking for a job over a year and washing dishes at a Paki restaurant in the meanwhile. I would like to know from them how they feel about observing the haddith and never greeting me first or ignoring my salaam alekum (whatever the morality or the lack of it).
Wouldn't you say it is better for them to observe this haddith rather than have a job in their field of competence working for a boss who is gracious enough to greet them in their religious greetings?
Arvind, I would like to know why you would find it offensive for a muslim to say "walekum" to you, if they believe it is a part of their faith to do so.
I rarely initiate a greeting with anyone.
I personally would not like a boss to hold it over my head that he got me a job and so now I must greet him in a manner only to his/her liking. If I respond in a certain way I would have no problem explaining it to my boss as to why I do that, and I expect them to be understanding of that. To be understanding that there are cultural and religious differences among people of the world.
Some of my hindu friends greet me with Namaste, I do not ask them to change their greeting to me because that is part of their belief/way.
Explain me the morality of not greeting first or not responding a non-Muslim who created a job for you and who showing respect for your religion says "salaam alekum" (basically peace be with you) to you. At the time this haddith was written, the Prophet (SAWS) lived in the arabia which was certainly not a multi-cultural multi-religious place that Canada or US or every other darul al haraam is today.
Well bahenji, let me make it simple. I have 8 applications for this summer's jobs on my desk right now. Three of them are from muslims. Just so I don't put muslims in awkward position of having to greet their boss either first or in response to my greeting, I will just not hire anyone is muslim. Some of these applicants have been looking for a job over a year and washing dishes at a Paki restaurant in the meanwhile. I would like to know from them how they feel about observing the haddith and never greeting me first or ignoring my salaam alekum (whatever the morality or the lack of it).
Wouldn't you say it is better for them to observe this haddith rather than have a job in their field of competence working for a boss who is gracious enough to greet them in their religious greetings?
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Now you are talking law-suit material per US/Canadian laws ... You of all the people should have been trained by your employer to respect your employee's faith and beliefs... so now that you have learned that your applicants might be awkward and might not be able to initiate the Islamic Greeting due to their religious beliefs it will be down right the highest order of meanness to not hire them for just that reason. Use your position to be just and not to persecute people for their religious beliefs.
my bros hindu friend is learning how to say "Assalam o Alaikum" & "Khuda Hafiz" so he can greet his muslim friends properly... i think thats beautiful...
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*Originally posted by sadzzz: *
i'd reply with "walaikum assalam" :)
my bros hindu friend is learning how to say "Assalam o Alaikum" & "Khuda Hafiz" so he can greet his muslim friends properly... i think thats beautiful...
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I don't see any harm in this.. the key here is that if they initiate it then you respond accordingly... be polite and considerate and respond in kind
there are alot off non-muslims who greet muslims correctly as muslims do.so one can reply them as walaikum.as i know walaikum means'aur tum par bhi' .it looks like 'same to you'. So to reply a non-muslim as 'walaikum' (as the prophet replied to the jews) is not objectionable.
i think noone should have the objection on it.
what you think????
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Arvind: *
I am surprised that this question even arises. As a non-muslim I greet my muslim friends (I have lots of them) with asalaam ailekum and respond to their greeting with walekum assallam (and I do know what these greetings mean) . As well I will bid them adios with a Khuda haafiz. I do this with a respect for their religion. Not one muslim has refused my greetings or complained about it.
So, sue me in a sharia court but I will continue doing what I have been doing for decades.
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i see no wrong in salaming someone. u just wish them peace . which u can wish for anyone :)
Thank you for your kind words and for seeing my point.
Cha Choo,
I did not say anywhere that I do not hire muslims. I showed by concrete example that I have done it my organization for years and years. I have hired Pakistanis, Indian muslims, Iranis and Moroccans muslims in my field for over 25 years. Not one of these devout muslims has thrown this haddith in my face and refused to accept my greetings.
You conveniently refuse to understand what position I would be in if my muslim employees follow this haddith and refuse to greet other senior managers or important clients. (Yes, we do have a Lebanese christian manager in my company who speaks arabic fluently and greets me with a slaam alekum because he thinks I am a muslim). Do you really think that important non-muslim decision maker who will approve or disapporve a project involving many hunderds of thousands of dollars is going to tolerate someone who refuses to greet him first?
Another thing let me tell you ChaChoo. Yes it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of religion in Canada and US but do you know that it is almost impossible to prove such discrimination? Or are you not even aware how many US companies after 9/11 tossed your CV out if you had even a muslim sounding name? So believe me, it is not threat of the laws in US/Canada that has forced me to hire muslims. I have hired them precisely because I see a discrimination against them in the North Ameerican workplace and I have tried to correct it in my small capacity where I could. So just don't teach me what Canadian laws to observe.
No, in endorsing Knightofhearts you have simply ingonred this haddith causes in a multi-cultural society.
In closing let me point out one thing. My Pakistani and Indian muslim friends would consider ignoring my salaam alekum the same as spitting in my face and no haddith has aksed them to do that.
