FEW SUNNATS OF SOCIAL LIFE
Submitted by Mohammed Gilani on
1. To greet with salaam is one of the great Sunnats for a Muslim. Rasulullah (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam) has laid a lot of emphasis on this. It increases love amongst people. salaam should be made to every Muslim whether one knows him or not (Bukhari). salaam is an Islamic right and to know the person is not a requirement.
2. It has been mentioned in the ahadith of Bukhari and Muslim that once Rasulullah (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam) passed by a group of children and he made salaam to them, hence we deduce that it is Sunnat to make salaam to children as well. (Muslim-Vol.2, pg. 214)
3. The Sunnat method of making salaam is that one should say verbally السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ To make salaam with the wave of the hand, the nod of the head or the indication of the finger or to answer to the salaam in this manner is against the Sunnat. If salaam is being made from far then one should make salaam verbally as well as with the hand. (Mishkaat-Vol.2,pg 399 narrating from Tirmidhi)
4 When meeting a fellow Muslim, then it is Sunnat to shake hands with him after Salaam. Females may shake hands with one another. (Mishkaat-Vol.2, pg. 401 from Bra'a Ibne A'azib)
5. When joining any gathering, one should sit wherever a place is found. To make others stand up and to sit in their place is Makruh and a sin. (Bukhari, Muslim)