Assalam o alikum; Saying “Assalam o alikum” on SMS, or on chat at any web messenger, does it fall into the Fazilat of salam as mentioned in Hadiths ? Secondly is it necessary to reply for it ?
Answer
(Fatwa: 1513/1129/D=1431)
(1) Whatever reward is of writing salam, the same is of writing in SMS with the intention of salam.
(2) If one has to send the reply of SMS, it is necessary to send the reply of salam, otherwise it is not necessary to give the reply, but it is better to reply.
Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) knows Best
Darul Ifta,
Darul Uloom Deoband