How to Respond with a Better Greetings

Responding with a better greeting in Islam is encouraged as a way to increase blessings and foster goodwill between individuals.

By responding with a better greeting in Islam, you not only acknowledge the peace and blessings being extended to you but also contribute to fostering harmony, kindness, and goodwill within the Muslim community and beyond.

How to reply with a better greeting when someone gives the greeting in full I.e. السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته (Assalam Aleykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu)

Zayd bin Arqam (رضي الله عنه) said:

كُنَّا إذا سلَّم النَّبيُّ علينا قُلْنا : وعليك السلامُ ورحمةُ اللهِ وبركاتُه ومغفرتُه.

“When the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would greet us, we would say: ‘wa alaykum us-salaam wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu wa maghfiratuh.”

[as-Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah (no. 1449)]

Shaykh Muhammad Naasir al-Albani (رحمه الله) was asked in silsilat ul-hudaa wan noor – the series of guidance and light .

“What is the authenticity of adding wa maghfiratuh [‘and His Forgiveness’] in offering the salaam and responding to it?”

Shaykh al-Albani (رحمه الله) answers:

“There is no addition (of wa maghfiratuh) in the hadeeth with respect to offering the salaam; i.e., if a person starts with offering the salaam, he ends at wa barakaatuh: asalaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. And the hadeeth that has come – or in more precise words, (the hadeeth) that was narrated – (stating) that at the fourth time, the fourth of them said, asalaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh wa maghfiratuh, then this is a weak narration. As for the addition (of wa maghfiratuh) in the response to wa barakaatuh, then it is established; i.e., a man says, asalaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh, then we add wa maghfiratuh in the response…

It is in agreement with the noble Qur’an (with) the saying When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally.’ [Surat un-Nisaa, 4:86]So if the greeter gives the salaam, saying asalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh, the aayah that stated ‘greet in return with what is better than it’ is not invalidated; this command still exists, which is (followed by saying) wa maghfiratuh. This addition (with respect to responding) has also been mentioned in…narrations established from some of the Companions.

So we have brought out a conclusion whose summary is that adding wa maghfiratuh in the response is allowed and starting (the salaam with it) is not allowed.”

saying ‘and His Forgiveness’ after the greeting ‘may Peace, Mercy and Blessings of Allah be upon you.

All praise is due to Allah we ask Him to bless the Prophet Sallah Llah Alei Wasalam and the companions and let us die on the path of Qur'an and Sunnah.