What does “Assalamu Alaikum” mean and how to reply?

Short answer“Assalamu alaykum” is the Muslim greeting meaning “peace and safety from God be upon you.” The reply is “Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.” As-Salam is one of God’s names, and spreading the greeting builds love; it is a greeting for everyone.

The phrase and its pronunciation

Hadith
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh

Peace be upon you, and God’s mercy and blessings

The phrase and its pronunciation

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.”

Dalilnya

Quran
وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٖ فَحَيُّواْ بِأَحۡسَنَ مِنۡهَآ أَوۡ رُدُّوهَآۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ حَسِيبًا

Dan apabila kamu dihormati dengan suatu (salam) penghormatan, maka balaslah penghormatan itu dengan yang lebih baik, atau balaslah (penghormatan itu, yang sepadan) dengannya. Sungguh, Allah memperhitungkan segala sesuatu.

An-Nisa 4:86
Hadith
لَا تَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا، وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا، أَوَلَا أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِذَا فَعَلْتُمُوهُ تَحَابَبْتُمْ؟ أَفْشُوا السَّلَامَ بَيْنَكُمْ

Kalian tidak akan masuk surga hingga kalian beriman, dan kalian tidak akan beriman hingga kalian saling menyayangi. Maukah kalian kuberitahu sesuatu yang jika kalian kerjakan, kalian akan saling menyayangi? Sebarkan salam di antara kalian.

HR. Muslim 54

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.

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