Greetings

The greeting of Muslims is salam: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ (as-salaamu 'alaykum), "peace be upon you". The reply is: وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامُ (wa 'alaykumu s-salaam), "and upon you be peace".

Allah says, in the meaning of the verse: "When you are greeted with a greeting, greet with a better one, or return it." (4:86). That is why people often reply with a longer form: وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامُ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ (wa 'alaykumu s-salaamu wa raḥmatu llaahi wa barakaatuh), "and upon you be peace, the mercy of Allah and His blessings".

Other everyday greetings: • صَبَاحُ الْخَيْرِ (ṣabaaḥu l-khayr): good morning. Reply: صَبَاحُ النُّورِ (ṣabaaḥu n-nuur). • مَسَاءُ الْخَيْرِ (masaa'u l-khayr): good evening. Reply: مَسَاءُ النُّورِ (masaa'u n-nuur). • مَرْحَبًا (marḥaban): hello. • أَهْلًا وَسَهْلًا (ahlan wa sahlan): welcome.

Asking how someone is: • كَيْفَ حَالُكَ؟ (kayfa ḥaaluka): how are you? (to a man) • كَيْفَ حَالُكِ؟ (kayfa ḥaaluki): how are you? (to a woman) • بِخَيْرٍ، الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ (bi-khayr, al-ḥamdu lillaah): well, praise be to Allah.

Thanking and taking leave: • شُكْرًا (shukran): thank you. Reply: عَفْوًا ('afwan): you're welcome. • مَعَ السَّلَامَةِ (ma'a s-salaama): goodbye.

Notice: in the replies, people often "return" the same word in a better way: الْخَيْر (goodness) becomes النُّور (light).

Understanding the lesson

Explanation Salam is not just "hello": it is a supplication. Saying السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ asks for peace and Allah's protection for the other person. As-Salaam (Peace) is in fact one of the names of Allah (59:23).

We say عَلَيْكُمْ ("upon you", plural) even to one person: that is the established usage of the greeting. The reply takes the same words in the opposite order and can enrich them, as verse 4:86 asks. A hadith specifies that each added part (wa raḥmatu llaah, wa barakaatuh) increases the reward (Abu Dawud 5195, Tirmidhi 2689). [À VÉRIFIER: reference]

Salam builds bonds: "You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I tell you of something which, if you do it, will make you love one another? Spread salam among yourselves." (Muslim 54) The Prophet ﷺ also recommended greeting those you know and those you do not know (Bukhari 12, Muslim 39).

Common mistakes: answering salam with a plain "hello", when the verse asks us to return the greeting at least with the same; mixing up ḥaaluka (to a man) and ḥaaluki (to a woman); pronouncing خ and ح the same way; dropping the ع of عَلَيْكُمْ.

Lessons to draw • Be the first to say salam: at the mosque, with family, among friends. • Reply with a complete formula when you can. • Add a smile and real interest in the answer. • Use at least two new expressions from the lesson every day.

Key points • السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ → وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامُ (better still: … وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ). • صَبَاحُ الْخَيْرِ → صَبَاحُ النُّورِ; شُكْرًا → عَفْوًا. • كَيْفَ حَالُكَ؟ (m.) / كَيْفَ حَالُكِ؟ (f.)

The main message Every salam is a supplication for peace: spreading it builds love between believers, as the Prophet ﷺ taught.