ANSWERED: Replying to salams online?

[Mossy]

Salam,

In Radd al-Muhtar 5:236, it states:

“When a strange women greets a man with salam, he should answer her verbally loud enough for her to hear if she is an elderly women. However, if she is a younger women he should respond within himself. Likewise, when a man greets a women with salam, the ruling would be the same.."

As is indicated in this fatwa on brothers and sisters chatting online, with the online chatting being an extension of this.

Now, my query is whether this holds for an environment such as this message board. If a sister prefaces her message in a discussion with a salam, is it thereby impermissable to respond to this salam with a reciprocal salam? The salam is read, as opposed to heard - does the analogy used in the above fatwa work the other way?

As an extension, is it also impermissable to respond to a sister's salam in a formalised environment where interaction/conversation is permissable, such as work or education?

And as a final point.. Where should we put our salams? At the start of each post? At the start of each discussion? Should we add the postfix of wa salam only at the end of the discussion, or at the end of each post/in reply to the other person's salam?

Wa salam (?),

Mossy

[coco]

assalamualaikum,

i must say very interesting question u asking, i wud like to kno myself....inshallah u will find the answer

[Goldi]

Personally, I find it pointless to even use salaams in posts. I don't think anyone should use them.

[eat-halal guy]

Salam,

Now, my query is whether this holds for an environment such as this message board. If a sister prefaces her message in a discussion with a salam, is it thereby impermissable to respond to this salam with a reciprocal salam? The salam is read, as opposed to heard - does the analogy used in the above fatwa work the other way?

And as a final point.. Where should we put our salams? At the start of each post? At the start of each discussion? Should we add the postfix of wa salam only at the end of the discussion, or at the end of each post/in reply to the other person's salam?

Wa salam (?),

Mossy

Walaikumussalam,

I was just going through Rudd al-Muhtar in Arabic..almost got a headache. Lot's of great stuff there on this topic.

From the little understanding I have of the issue, saying salam and responding to salam (amongst Muslims) is in iteself a good thing, and is even considered sunnah and wajib respectively. As such, it should be done all the time, except in cases where there is a chance of fitnah.

Since considerable steps have been taken on this message board to eradicate chances of fitnah, I personally don't see any problem in giving and replying to salams. Plus, the initial salam is almost always a general salam instead of being directed at a specific person.

As for writing as opposed to speaking, I beleive the same concept holds for both.


With regards to where salam should be written, there was a hadith quoted in Rudd al-Muhtar which suggested that one should say salam when entering a gathering the first time, and one should also say salam upon returning, because saying salam upon returning is more virtuous than the first salam (which I think means that it is preferable to say salam a 2nd time). Based on that, if a thread can be considered to be a gathering, salam should be said when one posts for the first time in a given thread, and then giving salam is preferred for subsequent posts in that thread, but not required. Doing so would be better.

عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ " { إذَا أَتَيْتُمْ الْمَجْلِسَ فَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ وَإِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ فَسَلِّمُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَإِنَّ التَّسْلِيمَ عِنْدَ الرُّجُوعِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ التَّسْلِيمِ الْأَوَّلِ }

( رد المحتار على الدر المختار )

All that being said, please keep in mind that I am NOT mufti, and as such, this is only my opinion and it does NOT hold any weight.

Allah knows best.


If anyone is reading the entire text on this issue in Arabic:

http://feqh.al-islam.com/Display.asp...23%23%23%23%23

[UmmIbrahimIsa]

Personally, I find it pointless to even use salaams in posts. I don't think anyone should use them.

Assalamu alaikum wr wb

But greeting someone with salams means you're greeting them with peace, if you don't usually the person finds it rude that you just go in and get to the point without sending out a peace greeting. Like if you were to walk into the masjid, do you send out your salams to everyone in the room, i.e. the brothers or do you just go in and pray and talk to them hey how is it going and then leave without sending greetings? They might find it rude and un-sunnah like.

The Prophet SAW always greeted everyone with peace, whether they were muslim or not. Even the Companions (RA) and the great scholars and everyone greeted everyone with peace, which is what we should try to do too, which will help our eman and increase our remembrance of Allah swt.

[Goldi]

Assalamu alaikum wr wb

But greeting someone with salams means you're greeting them with peace, if you don't usually the person finds it rude that you just go in and get to the point without sending out a peace greeting. Like if you were to walk into the masjid, do you send out your salams to everyone in the room, i.e. the brothers or do you just go in and pray and talk to them hey how is it going and then leave without sending greetings? They might find it rude and un-sunnah like.

The Prophet SAW always greeted everyone with peace, whether they were muslim or not. Even the Companions (RA) and the great scholars and everyone greeted everyone with peace, which is what we should try to do too, which will help our eman and increase our remembrance of Allah swt.

Personally, I find it pointless to even use salaams in posts. I don't think anyone should use them.

ahem.

[Zain121]

As Salaamu Alaykum,

As clarified by brother Ziad, passing salaams is a act of sunnah, and replying to it is wajib. It is also regarded as one of the acts that will be responsible for taking a person into jannah.

The prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam also stated that we should say salaams to those we know and those who we do not know.

There are many narrations that indicate that In the time of the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam and the Sahaaba Radhi Allahu Anhum there salaams between the men and women. However, the Ulamaa have stated that this is only if there is no fear of Fitnah. The Ulamaa also state that a women should not put on a friendly voice in front of Ghair Mahrams in order to avoid any Fitnah.

This is the case for verbal salaams, which seems to be quite clear.

However, as for writing salaams down. I would personally think that the same rule applies (as mentioned by Brother Ziad also). The condition of Fitnah that has been stressed by the Ulamaa seems to be not to much of a concern in our posts.

I haven't been on sunniforum for some time, in fact this is my first time i have come on (due to brother Ziad's request). However, as the posts seem to be publicly viewed and i can;t imagine any brother or sister making a comment that would be a cause of fitnah.

In addition, the method of salaam and response is not much of an issue. i believe that a "salaam" at the beginning and a "wasallam" at the end would be appropriate. If we take into consideration, as a norm i would think that as soon as someone reads the words "salaam" they automatically respond by saying wa-alaykum as salaam.

However, the situation of formal and informal discussions does arise.

Finally, as i may have bored you already, i will ask Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam reagrding this matter and see his opinion on this. Insha-allah, if all goes according to plan i shall have a post in tomorrow.

Ps. As a personal opionion i believe that the words "as-salaamul alaykum" should be used instead of the more 'slangish' term "salaams". Because true reward and salvation lies in following the method of the prophe sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. It is narrated in a Hadeeth to the meaning that The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam taught a Sahabi a Dua. However, when the Sahabi prayed the Dua to the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam he replaced the word "Nabi" with "Rasool" or vice versa. Upon this the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam corrected him. This emphasises the fact the even a word which is so similar will not be accepted. The only thing that gains reward is what has been taught by the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam.

Wallahu A'lamu bissawaab. (and allah knows best)

Wa Alaykum As Salaam.

Zain

Walaikumussalam,

I was just going through Rudd al-Muhtar in Arabic..almost got a headache. Lot's of great stuff there on this topic.

From the little understanding I have of the issue, saying salam and responding to salam (amongst Muslims) is in iteself a good thing, and is even considered sunnah and wajib respectively. As such, it should be done all the time, except in cases where there is a chance of fitnah.

Since considerable steps have been taken on this message board to eradicate chances of fitnah, I personally don't see any problem in giving and replying to salams. Plus, the initial salam is almost always a general salam instead of being directed at a specific person.

As for writing as opposed to speaking, I beleive the same concept holds for both.


With regards to where salam should be written, there was a hadith quoted in Rudd al-Muhtar which suggested that one should say salam when entering a gathering the first time, and one should also say salam upon returning, because saying salam upon returning is more virtuous than the first salam (which I think means that it is preferable to say salam a 2nd time). Based on that, if a thread can be considered to be a gathering, salam should be said when one posts for the first time in a given thread, and then giving salam is preferred for subsequent posts in that thread, but not required. Doing so would be better.

عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ " { إذَا أَتَيْتُمْ الْمَجْلِسَ فَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ وَإِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ فَسَلِّمُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَإِنَّ التَّسْلِيمَ عِنْدَ الرُّجُوعِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ التَّسْلِيمِ الْأَوَّلِ }

( رد المحتار على الدر المختار )

All that being said, please keep in mind that I am NOT mufti, and as such, this is only my opinion and it does NOT hold any weight.

Allah knows best.


If anyone is reading the entire text on this issue in Arabic:

http://feqh.al-islam.com/Display.asp...23%23%23%23%23

[Aasiya]

It may be considered pointless to say salam because hardly anyone replies to em anyway, e.g. if me and five other people came on and posted summat with a salam at the start, the seventh person to post is not gonna reply to each and everyones salam, therefore it is kinda dismissed and its purpose is kinduv lost.

On the other hand, however, it's not pointless, as Ummiby says, isn't it polite to greet a fellow person with greetings of peace?

However, whether or not it is islamic, I guess, depends upon ur intention, every act depends upon your intention rite? Whats wrong in greeting brothers and sisters with peace? Unless of course you're some weirdo who is using it as a pick up line, as some muslims nowadays tend to do, unfortunately.

Wasalam

[ibnu Rashid]

I was gonna ask this same question but masha'Allah it already seems to be in the works of being answered.

Just one thing, if it does turn out that salaams should not be given/replied to, then whats the case with 'jazaks', as this seems even a more personal thing.

And one last question (kind of off topic). Akh Zain, since you have contact with Mufti Muhammad, i was always curious, exactly where in Leicester does he teach at? Not at the IDA right?

[Goldi]

Unless of course you're some weirdo who is using it as a pick up line, as some muslims nowadays tend to do, unfortunately.

Muslims these days... so uncreative.