Saying Hello, Hi, etc. to each other

Nowadays, especially school-going and college-going youngsters use ?Hi, Hello, Tata, Bye? and other such words as greetings.  What is the Shariah Ruling about doing so?

Islam is a religion of peace and orders that whenever 2 people meet, they should pray for each other’s peace and safety.  One among the rights of one Muslim on another is to greet him/her with Salaam.  There is a Hadith in Zujajatul Masabeeh, Vol. 4, Pg. No. 7:

Translation:  It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: There are 6 rights of one Momin on another:

1.  To call upon him, when he is ill.

2.  To pay respects to him when he dies.

3.  To accept, when he invites.

4.  To greet him with “Salaam” when he meets him

5.  To reply when he sneezes.

6.  Regardless of whether he is present or not, to do him good.

(Jame’ Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 2956; Sunan Nasai, Hadith No. 1937; Zujajatul Masabeeh, Vol. 4, Pg. No. 7)

When meeting and when taking leave, we should greet each other with “Salaam,” as greeting with Salaam is a Sunnah and replying to it is Wajib.  As given in Durre Mukhtaar, Vol. 5, Pg. No. 293.

Using words like Hi, Hello, Ta-Ta, etc. or only gesturing with hands, etc. is totally against the Islamic way and resembles the ways of Jews and Christians.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has prohibited against similarity with other nations.  

There is a Hadith in Jame’ Tirmidhi:

Translation:  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: The person who assumes resemblance to a different nation is not from us.  You should neither resemble the Jews nor the Christians.  The Salaam of the Jews is with their fingers and the Salaam of the Christians is with their palms (i.e. they gesture with it).  (Jame’ Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 2911)

And Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) knows best.

Mufti Syed Ziauddin Naqshbandi Qadri

[Professor, Islamic Law, Jamia Nizamia,
Founder-Director, Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center]