Assalaam u Alaikum Mufti Sahib. Over here many people insist that we say Salaam loudly when we enter the masjid and state hadiths to prove it. Also they say we must return the salaam even if we are praying by raising the hand. Can you please explain how we can say that these hadiths of Rasool Allah SalAllahu Alaihi Wassalam were from t he early stages of Islam. Are there any books or references that we can look up which explain this in detail.( Arabic, Urdu or English)
According to the Hanafi Madhab, it is Makrooh (abhorrent) to reply to the
Salaam in Salaat by raising one’s hands. (Raddul Mukhtaar vol.1 pg.616; HM
Saeed, Tahtaawi pg.192)
Some Ulama were of the opinion that it is not Makrooh to do so. The Hadith
which forms as the basis for their ruling is recorded in Sahih Bukhari
(vol.1 pg.162) and Sahih Muslim vol.1 pg.204 as well as other books of
Hadith. Sayyiduna Jaabir (Radhiallaahu Anhu) states that Rasulullah
(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) once sent me on an errand and when I returned,
he was performing Salaat on his donkey, so I made Salaam to him but he did
not reply. Then when he completed he turned to me and said, ‘The fact that I
was in Salaat prevented me from answering to you.’ (Sahih Muslim vol.1
pg.204 and Sahih Bukhari vol.1 pg.162)
According to one narration of Sahih Muslim, Sayyiduna Jaabir (Radhiallaahu
Anhu) states that after he made salaam, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi
Wasallam) beckoned to me with his hand and at the end of his Salaat, he
(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) mentioned to him the above mentioned reasons
for which he did not reply.
This is one of the Ahaadith that forms as the proof for the view of the
second group of scholars (those that believe it proper to beckon in Salaat).
However, a close study of the above mentioned Ahaadith will reveal that the
reason for which Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) beckoned to Jaabir
(Radhiallaahu Anhu) was not to reply to his salaam, instead it was to inform
him that he was in Salaat and to stop him from repeating the salaam. That is
why Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) then reasoned with him after
the completion of his Salaat. And Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam)
himself confessed that he did not reply and then explained the reason for
that.
In fact, a more clear description is given in the Hadith of Sayyiduna
Abdullah ibn Umar (Radhiallaahu Anhu) recorded in Sunan Abu Dawud that when
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), while in a similar situation,
beckoned to those who made salaam to him his hand was such that the palm was
facing the ground and the back of the palm facing upwards. (Sunan Abu Dawud
vol.1 pg.133). This mode of of beckoning is clearly not that of one who
intends to reply to someone’s greeting. In fact, it emphasizes the
explanation given above that this was to stop them from repeating the salaam
and to inform them that he was still in Salaat.
In one tradition recorded by Imaam Bukhari (RA) and Imaam Muslim (RA),
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘Verily in Salaat is
preoccupation’, i.e. one cannot disrupt his Salaat for the reply to the
salaam. This was said by Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) to
Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Mas’ood (Radhiallaahu Anhu) when he made salaam while
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) was in Salaat and Rasulullah
(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) did not reply nor beckon to him in any way.
(Bukhari vol.1 pg.162; Muslim vol.1 pg.204)
For further detailed explanation, we refer you to the Kitaab ‘Shar Ma’aani
al-Aathaar’ of Imaam Tahaawi vol.1 pgs.296 – 298
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Moulana Muhammad ibn Moulana Haroon Abbassommar
FACULTY OF SPECIALTY IN HADITH
CHECKED AND APPROVED: Mufti Ebrahim Desai