It is authenticated from him(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam): "Do not precede them with the Salaams, and if you meet them in a street, "(2).

However, it is said that he (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said this in a specific matter, regarding travelling to Bani Quraydhah, he(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said,"Do not precede them with the Salaams." So what about the regular person from Ahl udh Dhimma?

Or is it specific to whomsoever is in a state such as theirs?

Verily there occurs in Saheeh Muslim that, "Do not precede the Jews and the Christians with Salaams, and if you meet one of them in a street, then force him to the other side."(3) And it is obvious that this is general.

And there is a difference in returning it to them, and its reward, and its(the salaams) answer, and the difference between them and Ahl-ul-Bid'ah. Verily we are commanded with deserting them, and it is affirmed from him(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam), that he walked past a gathering having in it a mixture of Muslims, and Mushriks, and he greeted them, and similarly he wrote to Hiraql,(4) and other than him with, "May peace be upon whomever follows the guidance"(As Salaam Alaa Man itaba'aa Al Hudaa). And it is mentioned from him(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) that he said, "And if it is given from a gathering, then you return it to one of them."

So there comes one who says, 'The return is Fardh Kifaayah(obligatory on a group)', but it can only be good if it is confirmed, for verily in it is Sa'eed Ibn Khallaad. Abu Zur'ah said, 'Da'eef', and similar to that was said by Aboo Haatim.(5) And there was from him(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) that if there reached him greetings from other than the greeter, he would return it to him, and on the one through whom it reached him. And from his(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) giudance is the abandonment of the inventor of innovations until he repents.

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