Offering the Greeting of Peace

2. Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from Abu ‘Abdillah عليه السلام who has said the following: “If one begins speaking before offering the greeting of peace, do not speak to him.”

3. Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from Abu ‘Abdillah عليه السلام who has said the following: “The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘A person who is closer to Allah and His Messenger is the one who initiates the offering of the greeting of peace.’”

4. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn abu Najran from ‘Asim ibn Hamid from Muhammad ibn Muslim from abu Ja’far عليه السلام who has said the following: “Salman, May Allah grant him favors, would say, ‘Offer the greeting of peace from Allah openly; the unjust do not receive the greeting of peace from Allah.’”

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from Tha’Labah’ ibn Maymun from Muhammad ibn Qays from abu Ja’far عليه السلام who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, loves offering the greeting of peace openly, loud and clearly.”

6. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from ibn Faddal from Mu’awiyah ibn Wahab from Abu ‘Abdillah عليه السلام who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘Really stingy is one who is stingy in offering the greeting of peace.’”

7. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Ash’ari from ibn al- Qaddah from Abu ‘Abdillah عليه السلام who has said the following: “When anyone of you offers the greeting of peace he should say it loud and clear so he will not complain that no one answered his greeting of peace. He may have offered, but no one may have heard it and when any one of you answers the greeting he should say it loud and clear so that the one offering it will not say, ‘I offered them the greeting of peace but no one answered.’ “The Imam then said, ‘Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib عليه السلام has said, ‘If you do not become angry you will not be made angry, offer the greeting of peace loud and openly, speak nicely, perform prayer at night when people are sleeping and you will enter paradise in peace.’ Then he read the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy: ‘. . . the Peace, the Protector, the Watchful Guardian. . . .’” ( 59 : 23 )

8. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn Mahbub from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan from Abu ‘Abdillah عليه السلام who has said the following: “The initiator of the offering of the greeting of peace is closer to Allah and His Messenger.”

9. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban from al-Hassan ibn al-Mundhir who has said the following: “I heard Abu ‘Abdillah عليه السلام saying, ‘If one offering the greeting of peace says, “(I offer) you to be in peace,” it is equal to ten good deeds. Saying, ‘(I offer) you to be in peace, and May Allah grant you favors,’ is equal to twenty good deeds. Saying, ‘(I offer) you to be in peace, and May Allah grant you favors and blessings,’ is equal to thirty good deeds.’”

10. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Salih ibn al-Sindi from Ja’far ibn Bashir from Mansur ibn Hazim from Abu ‘Abdillah عليه السلام who has said the following: “In three cases the ‘greeting’ is answered in a plural case even if there is only one person: for one’s sneezing, it is said, ‘May Allah grant you (plural) favor.’ when a man offers the ‘greeting of peace’ saying, ‘(I offer you to) be in peace’, the answer is ‘(I offer you to) be in peace,’ and when a man pleads before Allah for good health for another man, he should say, ‘May Allah grant you (plural) good health, even if there is only one person; there are others with him (the guarding angels).”’

11. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn in a marfu’ manner from an Imam who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام would say, ‘Three kinds of people do not offer greetings: one walking in funeral procession, one walking to attend Friday prayer and in the bathing places.’”

12. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Harun ibn Kharijah from Abu ‘Abdillah عليه السلام who has said the following: “It is of humility to offer the greeting of peace to whomever you meet.”

13. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from ibn Mahbub from Jamil from abu ‘Ubaydah al-Hadhdha’ from abu Ja’far عليه السلام who has said the following: “Once Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib عليه السلام passed by a people and offered them the greeting of peace and they answered, ‘(We offer) you peace, May Allah grant you favors, blessings, forgiveness and His pleasure.’ Amir al-Mu’Minin عليه السلام said to them, ‘Do not say to us more than what the angels said to Ibrahim. They said, ‘May Allah grant you favors and blessings, O the people of the house’ (of the Holy Prophet).”’

14. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from Ali ibn Ri’ab from Abu ‘Abdillah عليه السلام who has said the following: “The completion of greetings of peace for one at home is to shake hands and for one on a journey it is to hold him in one’s arms.”

15. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfali from al-Sakuni from Abu ‘Abdillah عليه السلام who has said the following: “Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib عليه السلام has said, ‘It is undesirable for a man to say, “May Allah keep you living,” then remain silent without offering the greeting of peace thereafter.’”