The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, "To feed the hungry and to greet with peace those you know and those you do not know."

Spreading Peace, Greeting with Peace | Al-Nawawi | Riyad al-Salihin

In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

Spreading Peace, Greeting with Peace

Al-Nawawi recorded in his book Riyad al-Salihin:

باب فضل السلام والأمر بإفشائه

Chapter on the virtue of peace and the command to spread it.

Source: Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn 1/263

Allah Almighty said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتًا غَيْرَ بُيُوتِكُمْ حَتَّىٰ تَسْتَأْنِسُوا وَتُسَلِّمُوا عَلَىٰ أَهْلِهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

O you who have faith, do not enter houses other than your own houses until you ascertain welcome and greet their inhabitants with peace. That is best for you, that perhaps you will be reminded.

Surat al-Nur 24:27

And Allah said:

فَإِذَا دَخَلْتُم بُيُوتًا فَسَلِّمُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِكُمْ تَحِيَّةً مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ مُبَارَكَةً طَيِّبَةً

When you enter houses, offer greetings of peace upon each other, a greeting from Allah, blessed and good.

Surat al-Nur 24:59

And Allah said:

وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّوا بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا أَوْ رُدُّوهَا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَسِيبًا

When you are greeted with a greeting, greet with one better than it or return it in a like manner.

Surat al-Nisa 4:86

And Allah said:

هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ ضَيْفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ إِذْ دَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالُوا سَلَامًا ۖ قَالَ سَلَامٌ قَوْمٌ مُّنكَرُونَ

Has there reached you the story of the honored guests of Abraham? When they entered upon him and greeted him with peace, he said: And for you peace, a people unknown.

Surat al-Dhariyat 51:24-25

Abdullah ibn Amr reported: A man asked the Prophet, “Which Islam is best?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

تُطْعِمُ الطَّعَامَ وَتَقْرَأُ السَّلاَمَ عَلَى مَنْ عَرَفْتَ وَمَنْ لَمْ تَعْرِفْ

To feed the hungry and to greet with peace those you know and those you do not know.

And Ammar ibn Yasir said:

ثَلَاثٌ مَنْ جَمَعَهُنَّ فَقَدْ جَمَعَ الْإِيمَانَ الْإِنْصَافُ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ وَبَذْلُ السَّلَامِ لِلْعَالَمِ وَالْإِنْفَاقُ مِنْ الْإِقْتَارِ

Whoever has three qualities will have completed the faith: fairness from yourself to others, offering peace to the world, and spending in charity even while poor.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 28, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

خَلَقَ اللَّهُ آدَمَ عَلَى صُورَتِهِ طُولُهُ سِتُّونَ ذِرَاعًا فَلَمَّا خَلَقَهُ قَالَ اذْهَبْ فَسَلِّمْ عَلَى أُولَئِكَ النَّفَرِ مِنْ الْمَلَائِكَةِ جُلُوسٌ فَاسْتَمِعْ مَا يُحَيُّونَكَ فَإِنَّهَا تَحِيَّتُكَ وَتَحِيَّةُ ذُرِّيَّتِكَ فَقَالَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَقَالُوا السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ فَزَادُوهُ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ

Allah created Adam in His image, sixty cubits tall. When He created him, Allah said: Go and greet with peace these groups of assembled angels and listen to how they greet you, for this will be the greeting among your progeny. Adam said: Peace be upon you. The angels said: Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah. Thus, they added the mercy of Allah.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5873, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib reported:

نَهَانَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ سَبْعٍ نَهَانَا عَنْ خَاتَمِ الذَّهَبِ أَوْ قَالَ حَلْقَةِ الذَّهَبِ وَعَنْ الْحَرِيرِ وَالْإِسْتَبْرَقِ وَالدِّيبَاجِ وَالْمِيثَرَةِ الْحَمْرَاءِ وَالْقَسِّيِّ وَآنِيَةِ الْفِضَّةِ وَأَمَرَنَا بِسَبْعٍ بِعِيَادَةِ الْمَرِيضِ وَاتِّبَاعِ الْجَنَائِزِ وَتَشْمِيتِ الْعَاطِسِ وَرَدِّ السَّلَامِ وَإِجَابَةِ الدَّاعِي وَإِبْرَارِ الْمُقْسِمِ وَنَصْرِ الْمَظْلُومِ

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, prohibited us from seven things: using gold rings, silk, flax, brocade, red saddle clothes, taffeta, and silver vessels. And the Prophet commanded us to do seven things: to visit the sick, to follow the funeral procession, to bless those who sneeze, to return the greeting of peace, to accept invitations, to help others fulfill their oaths, and to support the oppressed.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5525, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

لَا تَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا أَوَلَا أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِذَا فَعَلْتُمُوهُ تَحَابَبْتُمْ أَفْشُوا السَّلَامَ بَيْنَكُمْ

You will not enter Paradise until you have faith and you will not have faith until you love each other. Shall I show you something that, if you did, you would love each other? Spread peace between yourselves.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 54, Grade: Sahih

Abdullah ibn Salaam reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَفْشُوا السَّلَامَ وَأَطْعِمُوا الطَّعَامَ وَصَلُّوا وَالنَّاسُ نِيَامٌ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ بِسَلَامٍ

O people, spread peace, feed the hungry, and pray at night when people are sleeping and you will enter Paradise in peace.

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2485, Grade: Sahih

Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.