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The Islamic form of greeting, that is to say, “As-Salamu Alaikum”, creates among each other a sense of cohesion and feelings of respect for one another. This is part of the obligations that the Muslims have towards each other.
Bukhari Sharif :-
1) Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-as (Ra) reported:
A man asked the great Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SM): “Which act in Islam is the best?”
Hazrat replied “To give food, and to greet everyone, whether you know the person or you do not.”
2) Hazrat Abu Hurairah (Ra) reported: The Prophet said “When Allah created Adam (AS), Allah said to him to go and greet that company of angels who were sitting there and then to listen to what were going to say in reply to his greetings, because that would be his greeting and his offspring’s greetings. Adam (AS) said to the angels “As Salamu Alaikum (May you be safe from evil). The angels replied “As-Salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah (May you be safe from evil and Mercy of Allah be upon you.)
Hence, the Islamic form of greeting has been in existence since the days of the Prophet. According to some Hadith, it is better to add in response – wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu (and the Mercy and Blessings of Allah). Feeding the poor and the destitute is an act of goodness and so is the fulfillment of the needs of the indigent. Moreover, greeting everybody, whether an acquaintance or a stranger, is part of good manner and etiquette. Both of these acts generate mutual love and remove hatred and ill will from our hearts. We should practice it as often as we could, i.e. when leaving the house, coming back home, meeting our elders or even when meeting the ones who are younger than us in age. It is a form of acknowledgement that generates love, respect and blessing of Allah on the Muslims.
