The phrase and its pronunciation
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُAs-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh
Peace be upon you, and God’s mercy and blessings
Meaning
God’s peace and safety upon you.
When to say it
- On meeting, entering and leaving.
- Etiquette: the younger greets the elder, the one walking greets the one sitting.
- A greeting for everyone, Muslim or not.
How to reply
Returning the greeting with the same or better is required: “Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.”
The evidence
وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٖ فَحَيُّواْ بِأَحۡسَنَ مِنۡهَآ أَوۡ رُدُّوهَآۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ حَسِيبًاAnd when you are greeted with a greeting, greet [in return] with one better than it or [at least] return it [in a like manner]. Indeed Allāh is ever, over all things, an Accountant.
لَا تَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا، وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا، أَوَلَا أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِذَا فَعَلْتُمُوهُ تَحَابَبْتُمْ؟ أَفْشُوا السَّلَامَ بَيْنَكُمْYou will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I tell you something that, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread peace among yourselves.
Frequently asked questions
May I greet a non-Muslim with salam?
Yes, greeting people in general is fine; scholars give detail about the form of the reply to People of the Book.
Texts and translations are under scholarly review.