Question:
Is there any evidence stating that we do not need to reply to السلام عليكم at all times?
Answer:
Ash-Shaykh Al-Uthaymeen, rahimahullah, said:
إذا سلم شخص على رجل، فإنه لا يلزم الآخر أن يرد عليه؛ لأنه غير مقصود بهذا السلام .
“If a person gives salaams to an individual, then it is not necessary upon others to reply to him because he wasn’t intended by the salaams”
أما إذا سلم على الجماعة عموماً فإن رد واحد منهم كاف ؛ لأن رد السلام فرض كفاية ، وليس فرض عين
“As for if he gives salaams to a group of people collectively, then the reply of one from amongst them is sufficient because returning the salaams is fard kifaayah and its not fard ‘ayn (i.e. it’s not individually compulsory upon everyone)…”
[Fataawa min -An-Nur alaa Darb]
عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ يُجْزِئُ عَنْ الْجَمَاعَةِ إِذَا مَرُّوا أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ أَحَدُهُمْ وَيُجْزِئُ عَنْ الْجُلُوسِ أَنْ يَرُدَّ أَحَدُهُمْ
On the authority of Alee bin Abi Taalib, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said:
“It suffices a group of people when passing by that one of them give salaams, and if they are sitting, that one from them returns the salaams”
Reported by Abu Dawud # 4342 authenticated by al-Imam Albany.
Translated and Answered by
AbdulFattaah bin Uthman
Abu Fajr
