Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Where I work many of the people I say salaam to either never say wa `alaikum assalaam or just say hi in response or sometimes just smile back. Some do one thing at one time and one thing at another time (e.g. return my salaam on Monday, but don’t say anything on Wednesday).
These people have Muslim names and are from Muslim countries. Some I see at Jum’ah prayers, and some I never see praying at all. Some I know do openly un-Islamic things like drinking. I just wonder if I should be saying salaam to every one of them, especially in the instances where I don’t get a response?
Assalamu alaikum,
You should give them salams, for the purpose of dawah and building relations with them. You still get the reward even when they don’t answer: The Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) said, “Give salams to those you know and those you do not.”
It is their right, as Muslims, that we command the good and forbid the wrong, and that we give them sincere advice regarding their affairs. The fiqh of this was recently posted.
The key to this is dealing with them in a friendly, non-threatening way, and developing positive relationships with them.
There have been several answers related to this kind of situation. (http://www.SunniPath.com)
Walaikum assalam