Posted on 08/01/2007 6:33:48 PM PDT by pacelvi
Question: Is it permissible for a Muslim to great a non-Muslim first?.
Answer: Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about the ruling on greeting non-Muslims. He replied as follows:
Greeting a non-Muslim first is haraam and is not permitted, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:“Do not initiate the greeting with the Jews and Christians, and if you meet them in the street push them towards the narrowest part of it.” But if they greet us we have to respond to them, because of the general meaning of the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally”
[al-Nisa’ 4:86]
The Jews used to greet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by saying,“Al-saam ‘alaykum ya Muhammad (Death be upon you, O Muhammad),” praying that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would die. So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:“The Jews say ‘al-saam ‘alaykum (death be upon you),’ so if they greet you, then say,‘Wa ‘alaykum (and also upon you).’”
If a non-Muslim greets a Muslim by saying “al-saamu ‘alaykum,” then we should respond by saying “wa ‘alaykum (and also upon you).” The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said “wa ‘alaykum” indicates that if they were saying “al-salaamu ‘alaykum (peace be upon you),” then peace will also be upon them, i.e., whatever they say to us, we say to them. Hence some of the scholars said that if a Jew, Christian or other non-Muslim clearly says “al-salaamu ‘alaykum,” it is permissible for us to say “‘alaykum al-salaam (upon you be peace).”
Similarly it is not permissible to initiate a greeting such as Ahlan wa sahlan (welcome) and the like, because that is a kind of honouring them. But if they say something like that to us, then we should say something similar to them, because the greeting should be returned in like manner and each person should be given his due. It is well known that the Muslims are higher in status before Allaah, so they should not humiliate themselves in front of non-Muslims by greeting them first.
So, in conclusion, it is not permissible for us to greet non-Muslims first, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade that, and because this is a humiliation for the Muslim when he starts to honour a non-Muslim. The Muslim is higher in status before Allaah, so he should not humiliate himself in this manner. But if we are greeted then we should return the greeting in similar terms.
Similarly it is not permissible for us to greet them first with words such as Ahlan wa sahlan (welcome), Marhaban (hello) and so on, because that is a kind of honouring them, so it is like initiating the greeting of salaams with them. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 3/33.
If there is a need to greet a kaafir first, there is no sin in that, but it should be something other than the greeting of salaam, such as saying Ahlan wa sahlan or How are you, etc. In that case the greeting is for a reason, not to honour him.
See al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 25/168.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Zaad al-Ma’aad (2/424), concerning greeting a kaafir first:
A group of scholars said: It is permissible to greet him first if that serves a purpose, or for fear of his harm, or because of blood ties, or for a reason that requires that.
Luckily I don’t live where Muslims make up such a prominent portion of the population, but I am female. I only encounter men who resemble Arabs at work, mostly coming in on the same elevator. Admittedly I don’t work with these fellows and so know nothing about them, yet I do consider what to do if someone gets rude. They’re more likely Indians and are very shy yet polite. Hopefully I’ll never have to deal with that sort of crass behavior at the workplace.
I’m not what anyone would call a beauty, and the kindest description for women of my proportions is ‘queen sized.’ I honestly think that your pair of fellows would reconsider running me over before an impending collision prompts me to drop a shoulder and power up from the knees. But that’s just me. :o)
As a defensive move, you may be wise to walk furthest away from the roadway so that an unavoidable clash does not push you out into traffic.
Drop down and push up - may I suggest that is perfect for a highway overpass sidewalk. [head-over-heals is an easy way to end your life Mohad]
If you ever needed a sock-puppet you could be Lakov Johnson [Russian mother and Southern Father]
Keep up your humor and remember the Hindus can be our friends.
Every so often, I thank God that He doesn’t regulate the minutiae of my life.
I prefer to give muslims a traditional Irish greeting, “Pog Mo Thoin”.
The short answer is - NO!
I never give an obviously 'fidel' cab driver any tip. It would become an asset he could use in his jihad to destroy WesternCiv. In addition, the omission demonstrates my contempt.
How many martinis did it take you to compose that?
In my opinion, Popocatapet1 is an excellent FReeper and I have enjoyed many of his/her excellent posts when they didn't have anything to do with Islam. I also notice that you signed up today.
Experience has shown me, Popocatapet1, and countless other Americans that Islam is a hostile religion that gives its followers permission to be rude to others in the home country of those others. People who adhere to Islam are, in our EXPERIENCE (not xenophobic imaginations, but first-hand experience) NOT particularly positive, more discliplined; nor do they have happier families and job environments, nor are they less concerned about "others' religion and skin color.
Indeed, Muslims seem to be MORE concerned about the last two, and most certainly 1,400 years of history prove beyond shadow of doubt that followers of Islam create societies that are the opposite of "happy and peaceful." "By their fruits ye shall know them." Islam has been putting out rotten, destructive fruit for centuries, and we know it. Too bad you haven't caught on.
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