Situations in Which Initiating the Islamic Greeting Is Disliked – Shaykh Sāliḥ ibn Fawzān al-Fawzān

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Occasions in Which Initiating the Islamic Greeting Is Disliked

1. The One Who Is Speaking

It is disliked to initiate the Islamic greeting to a person who is speaking, as he is occupied with conversing with someone else.

2. The One Busy with the Remembrance of Allah ﷻ

This refers to the person who is engaged in remembering Allah ﷻ, such as saying SubḥānAllāh, Allāhu Akbar, or reciting the Qurʾān. Greeting him at this time may distract him from his remembrance.

3. The One Occupied with the Speech of Muḥammad ﷺ

This means the person who is engaged in reading, studying, or memorising the ḥadīth of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ. He should not be greeted while occupied with this noble task.

4. The Orator (al-Khaṭīb)

This refers to greeting the khaṭīb at times other than the Friday sermon. As speaking during the Friday prayer is prohibited, it is also prohibited to greet the khaṭīb and those listening during the sermon.

5. The One Who Is Teaching

This refers to a person who is engaged in teaching the Qurʾān, ḥadīth, matters of fiqh, or Arabic grammar.

Some people, when arriving at a gathering after the lesson has begun, greet others and raise their voices. This is disliked, as it distracts the teacher and the listeners, and diverts attention away from the lesson.

6. The One Researching Knowledge

This refers to the person who is engaged in researching an academic or scholarly issue. He should not be greeted in a manner that disturbs his research, as this is inappropriate.

7. The Preacher

This refers to the person who is delivering an admonition or sermon. One should not greet him upon arrival. Rather, one should sit and listen, as greeting him would disturb both the lecturer and the audience.

8. The Faqīh

This means the person who is revising or studying matters of jurisprudence (fiqh). Greeting him at this time is disliked if it causes distraction.

9. The Caller to Prayer (al-Muʾadhdhin)

This refers to the one calling the adhān. He should not be greeted while calling the people to prayer, as this would disturb him during the adhān.

10. The One Who Is Praying

This refers to a person who is engaged in prayer. If you arrive and someone is praying, do not greet him until he has completed his prayer.

It has been reported from the Prophet ﷺ that one of the Companions greeted him while he was praying, and he returned the greeting by indicating with his hand, head, or finger. Thus, if someone greets you while you are praying, you may respond by indication.

11. The One Purifying Himself

This refers to a person performing ablution (wuḍūʾ). He should not be greeted until he has completed his purification.

However, if he is washing himself for purposes other than worship, such as cooling down or cleaning, then there is no harm in greeting him.

12. The One Who Is Eating

It is not legislated to greet a person who is occupied with eating, as this may inconvenience or distract him.

13. The One Relieving Himself

This refers to a person who is urinating or defecating. One must not greet him in this state.

It is disliked for a person relieving himself to speak, and therefore greeting him at this time is strongly discouraged.

14. The Mujāhid

This refers to the person who is engaged in fighting the enemy in jihād. He should not be greeted while engaged in battle, as he is occupied with defending the religion and the servants of Allah ﷻ.

References

Itḥāf aṭ-Ṭālib Sharḥ Manẓūma al-ʼAdāb li Ibn ʿAbd al-Qawī, Sāliḥ ibn Fawzān al-Fawzān, p. 219. Maktab ar-Rushd, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2003.