The Correct Islamic Greeting

More Woes for Sunnis

Sunni Muslims have been taught to greet their co-religionists with the phrase as-salamu alaykum. However, this is not the greeting which is found in the Quran, which employs the word salamun instead:

And when those who believe in Our revelations come unto thee, say: Peace be unto you (salamun alaykum)! Your Lord hath prescribed for Himself mercy, that whoso of you doeth evil through ignorance and repenteth afterward thereof and doeth right, (for him) lo! He is Forgiving, Merciful. S. 6:54

The above verse is the greeting which the Muslim deity enjoins upon his followers:

No blame is there upon the blind nor any blame upon the lame nor any blame upon the sick nor on yourselves if ye eat from your houses, or the houses of your fathers, or the houses of your mothers, or the houses of your brothers, or the houses of your sisters, or the houses of your fathers' brothers, or the houses of your fathers' sisters, or the houses of your mothers' brothers, or the houses of your mothers' sisters, or (from that) whereof ye hold the keys, or (from the house) of a friend. No sin shall it be for you whether ye eat together or apart. But when ye enter houses, salute one another with a greeting from Allah, blessed and sweet. Thus Allah maketh clear His revelations for you, that haply ye may understand. S. 24:61

This phrase is found all throughout the Islamic scripture:

Between them is a veil. And on the Heights are men who know them all by their marks. And they call unto the dwellers of the Garden: Peace be unto you (salamun alaykum)! They enter it not although they hope (to enter). S. 7:46

Their prayer therein will be: Glory be to Thee, O Allah! and their greeting therein will be: Peace (salamun). And the conclusion of their prayer will be: Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds! S. 10:10

And Our messengers came unto Abraham with good news. They said: Peace (salamun)! He answered: Peace! and delayed not to bring a roasted calf. S. 11:69

(Saying): Peace be unto you (salamun alaykum) because ye persevered. Ah, passing sweet will be the sequel of the (heavenly) Home. S. 13:24

And those who believed and did good works are made to enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow, therein abiding by permission of their Lord, their greeting therein: Peace (salamun)! S. 14:23

Those whom the angels cause to die (when they are) good. They say: Peace be unto you (salamun alaykumu)! Enter the Garden because of what ye used to do. S. 16:32

Peace (salamun) on him (Yahya) the day he was born, and the day he dieth and the day he shall be raised alive! S. 19:15

He said: Peace be unto thee (salamun alayka)! I shall ask forgiveness of my Lord for thee. Lo! He was ever gracious unto me. S. 19:47

And when they hear vanity they withdraw from it and say: Unto us our works and unto you your works. Peace be unto you (salamun alaykum)! We desire not the ignorant. S. 28:55

Their salutation on the day when they shall meet Him will be: Peace (salamun). And He hath prepared for them a goodly recompense. S. 33:44

The word from a Merciful Lord (for them) is: Peace (salamun)! S. 36:58

Peace be unto (salamun ala) Noah among the peoples! S. 37:79

Peace be unto (salamun ala) Abraham! S. 37:109

Peace be unto (salamun ala) Moses and Aaron! S. 37:120

Peace be unto (salamun ala) Elias! S. 37:130

And peace be unto (salamun ala) those sent (to warn). S. 37:181

And those who keep their duty to their Lord are driven unto the Garden in troops till, when they reach it, and the gates thereof are opened, and the warders thereof say unto them: Peace be unto you (salamun alaykum)! Ye are good, so enter ye (the Garden of delight), to dwell therein; S. 39:73

Hath the story of Abraham's honoured guests reached thee (O Muhammad)? When they came in unto him and said: Peace (salamun)! he answered, Peace (salamun)! (and thought): Folk unknown (to me). S. 51:24-25

Ironically, the only time salamu is used is when the Quran has the infant Jesus praying it upon himself!

Peace (salamu) on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive! S. 19:33

The Quran even warns of those who will come with a greeting other than that which Allah has given:

Hast thou not observed those who were forbidden conspiracy and afterward returned to that which they had been forbidden, and (now) conspire together for crime and wrongdoing and disobedience toward the messenger? And when they come unto thee they greet thee with a greeting wherewith Allah greeteth thee not, and say within themselves: Why should Allah punish us for what we say? Hell will suffice them; they will feel the heat thereof - a hapless journey's end! S. 58:8

This means that this is another instance where Muhammad's hadiths trump the Quran, which is supposed to be the uncreated speech of Allah.

Further Reading

Meeting the Quranic Challenge: How

Muhammad’s Sunna Trumps Allah’s Book

How Muhammad’s Sunna Trumps The Quran Once Again!