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Is it permissible for a Muslim to great a non-Muslim first?.
http://www.islamqa.com/index.php?ref=48966&ln=eng ^ | Islam QA

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.


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: islam; islamiclaw; islamicsupremacists; jihad; muhammadsminions; muslimbigotry; religiousintolerance; waronislamism
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To: pacelvi

Blah Blah!...who gives a rats ass?....


81 posted on 08/01/2007 8:43:41 PM PDT by AngelesCrestHighway
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To: rlmorel

Did you read the imam’s answer to the question? They know EXACTLY what not greeting someone means.. that’s the entire point of having it be a rule for their religion.

They want you to get mad.. they want you upset... that’s their intention.


82 posted on 08/01/2007 8:44:24 PM PDT by pacelvi (Islam is the acid that will dissolve the nation-state and led to the total breakdown of civilization)
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To: AngelesCrestHighway
"Blah Blah!...who gives a rats ass?...."

Another intelligent, classy, eloquent response. It's always nice to hear from the intellectually depraved.

83 posted on 08/01/2007 8:52:13 PM PDT by Hoof Hearted (Run*Fred*Run)
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To: Hoof Hearted

I love these intellectual giants who think that if I dont put some snarky comment in the title that I actually support this stuff.

How do these people function in life being so obtuse?


84 posted on 08/01/2007 8:54:07 PM PDT by pacelvi (Islam is the acid that will dissolve the nation-state and led to the total breakdown of civilization)
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To: pacelvi

Exactly. But I am sure they don’t understand the accurate infomation that behavior portrays to a westerner. They know it would piss us off, but they only see it at one level.


85 posted on 08/01/2007 9:05:32 PM PDT by rlmorel (Liberals: If the Truth would help them, they would use it.)
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To: 9422WMR; pacelvi

Compared to pacelvi, you’re a noob to FR so I think you should just keep your comments to yourself. Pacelvi have no need to prove his conservative bona fides to you!


86 posted on 08/01/2007 10:23:12 PM PDT by Tamar1973 (Riding the Korean Wave, one BYJ movie at a time! (http://www.byj.co.kr))
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To: pacelvi

And if the Comedian shall greet you by saying, “Your Momma wears Army Boots!” You shall reply to him by saying, “Nu-uh, your Momma!” And if the Comedian replies with, “I said it first!” You shall say, “well, your Momma wears Big Green Army Boots!” And the Comedian might say, “That’s what I said!” And you will say, “Nu-auh!” Then he will say, “Uh-huh!” And you say again, “Nu-auh!” Then you will say both together , “Uh-huh!” You will then both say, “Jinks!”, and sound very foolish in the sight of Allah.


87 posted on 08/01/2007 10:25:37 PM PDT by higgmeister (In the Shadow of The Big Chicken)
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To: 6323cd

That is a wild story.


88 posted on 08/01/2007 10:39:38 PM PDT by pacelvi (Islam is the acid that will dissolve the nation-state and led to the total breakdown of civilization)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom
Allah Ta'ala Knows Best

Lucifer has a last name now?
89 posted on 08/01/2007 10:39:46 PM PDT by Old_Mil (Fred Thompson isn't the second coming of Reagan; He's the second coming of Dole.)
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To: Tamar1973

Thanks.. you rock!.

All the dummy has to do is look at my tag line to see where I stand.


90 posted on 08/01/2007 10:40:06 PM PDT by pacelvi (Islam is the acid that will dissolve the nation-state and led to the total breakdown of civilization)
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To: pacelvi
Thanks.. you rock!.

Cheonmaneyo!

91 posted on 08/01/2007 10:48:18 PM PDT by Tamar1973 (Riding the Korean Wave, one BYJ movie at a time! (http://www.byj.co.kr))
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To: 9422WMR

What’s your problem?

What’s Pacelvi done to convince you that that he/she supports the jihadis? I assumed the article was posted to highlight the despicable and rude nature of islime, but apparently you think otherwise.


92 posted on 08/01/2007 11:33:53 PM PDT by Constantine XI Palaeologus ("Vicisti, Galilaee")
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To: Constantine XI Palaeologus

“Is it permissible for a Muslim to great a non-Muslim first?”
Okay, smart guy!
His headline say’s to “great” a non-muslim.
Is that in “great to meet you”
Maybe he should look over the title of his postings before he posts. I think the word he looks for is GREET!


93 posted on 08/02/2007 4:52:45 AM PDT by 9422WMR (Allah akbar fumar blacktar)
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To: 9422WMR

Why are you posting about posting? Thanks for sharing your interests with us though.


94 posted on 08/02/2007 4:55:49 AM PDT by Hegewisch Dupa
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To: 9422WMR; pacelvi
"What next, their bathroom etiquette?"

I believe I covered their bathroom and toilet etiquette a few months back.

All Your Toilets Are Belong To Us

"So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will win hundred times in hundred battles. If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you win one and lose the next. If you do not know yourself or your enemy, you will always lose." ~ Sun Tzu - The Art of War

95 posted on 08/02/2007 5:28:53 AM PDT by expatguy (Support - "An American Expat in Southeast Asia")
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To: pacelvi; 9422WMR
Thanks for this post.

Congratulations on making 9422WMR a new friend. She seems like a really fun girl.

96 posted on 08/02/2007 6:56:54 AM PDT by laotzu
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To: expatguy
I believe I covered their bathroom and toilet etiquette a few months back.

Great deadpan delivery. I love dry humor:^)

Cordially,

97 posted on 08/02/2007 8:26:41 AM PDT by Diamond
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To: expatguy
Or maybe, 'bedpan' delivery?

Cordially,

98 posted on 08/02/2007 8:28:31 AM PDT by Diamond
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To: expatguy
On second thought, maybe I should just leave the humor to the professionals.

Cordially,

99 posted on 08/02/2007 8:30:13 AM PDT by Diamond
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To: Diamond
"Great deadpan delivery. I love dry humor:^)"

Unfortunately, there was nothing dry in the bathroom.

100 posted on 08/02/2007 9:10:26 AM PDT by expatguy (Support - "An American Expat in Southeast Asia")
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