How should a non-Muslim address an Imam?

Sources

• ✓ 4:86 · An-Nisaa

  4:86 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍۢ فَحَيُّوا۟ بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَآ أَوْ رُدُّوهَآ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَسِيبًا

  When ye are greeted with a greeting, greet ye with a better than it or return it. Lo! Allah taketh count of all things.

• ✓ Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 4:86

  Sunni

  Tafsir Ibn Kathir · 4:86

  Allah commands His servant and Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) to personally engage in fighting. Whoever refrains from it at his service is excused; therefore He says, "You are only responsible for yourself." Ibn Abi Hatim reports from Abu Ishaq that he asked Al-Bara’ ibn Azib about a man who confronts an enemy force of a hundred and fights them—whether such action contradicts the verse "Do not cast yourselves into destruction with your own hands" (Al-Baqarah 2:195). Al-Bara’ replied that Allah commanded His Prophet: "So fight in the cause of Allah. You are only responsible for yourself; and rally the believers." This is about spending effort in the way of Allah, not recklessness. This narration is transmitted by Imam Ahmad through chains from trustworthy companions, confirming that carrying weapons and fighting the disbelievers is not reckless self-destruction but fulfilling divine command. Ibn Mardawayh adds that upon revelation of this verse, the Prophet instructed his companions: "My Lord commands me to fight, so fight." This is an imperative and directs urging believers towards combat. Regarding the phrase "and rally the believers," Ibn Kathir explains it means to encourage and motivate the believers toward fighting, inspiring their courage as the Prophet did on the day of Badr when he said, "Rise towards a Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth." Numerous hadiths extol the virtues of striving in Allah’s cause. Abu Hurayra relates the Prophet said that whoever believes in Allah and His Messenger, establishes prayer, gives zakat, and fasts Ramadan, it is obligatory on Allah to admit them into Paradise even if they stay in their homeland without migrating or fighting. Yet Allah has prepared 100 degrees in Paradise for those who strive in His cause, with each degree separated as greatly as the sky is from the earth. The highest part, al-Firdaws, lies above all, under the Throne of the Most Merciful, where the rivers flow forth. Another hadith reports from Abu Saeed al-Khudri that utter submission to Allah as Lord, Islam as religion, and Muhammad as Prophet ensures Paradise. The Prophet further said that Allah elevates a servant by 100 ranks in Paradise through jihad. The clause "Perhaps Allah will restrain the might of the disbelievers" implies motivating the believers to fight invigorates their resolve to confront enemies, defend Islam’s domain, and persist patiently. "And Allah is more severe in punishment and stronger in might" means He is fully capable of punishing the disbelievers both in this world and the Hereafter, as Allah says, "If Allah had willed, He could have taken vengeance upon them, but He did so to test some of you by others..." (Muhammad 47:4). Concerning "Whoever intercedes with a good intercession will have a share of it," Ibn Kathir explains: anyone who endeavors in a matter that results in good will be granted a portion of its reward; similarly, whoever seeks an intercession leading to evil will bear a part of its burden. The Prophet said, "Intercede and you will be rewarded. Allah decrees through the tongue of His Prophet what He wills." Mujahid ibn Jabr reports this verse was revealed concerning people interceding among one another. Al-Hasan al-Basri notes the verse says, "Whoever intercedes," not "whoever is interceded for." The phrase "and Allah is Keeper over all things" (muqīt) has been understood variously by scholars: Ibn Abbas, Ata, Qatada, and others interpreted it as "Protector," "Witness," "Accountant," "Able," "Provider." Ibn Kathir cites Ibn Abi Hatim who said muqīt means "appointed measure in proportion to one's deeds." Regarding the command, "When you are greeted with a greeting, greet with an equal or better," it means when a Muslim is greeted with salam, he should respond in a better or at least equal manner. Increasing the greeting is recommended; responding equally is obligatory. Ibn Jarir recounts a narrated incident where a man greeted the Prophet (peace be upon him) with "Peace be upon you," and received a reply with mercy from Allah. Another came with "Peace be upon you and mercy of Allah," and the Prophet replied accordingly, a third added blessing and received even more in response. When the first man expressed concern at this difference, the Prophet said Allah commanded to respond with equal or better greeting. This hadith also indicates there is no permissible addition beyond the established formula "As-salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu," for had more been approved, the Prophet would have used it. Imam Ahmad reports a man came to the Prophet and greeted with different levels of salam; the Prophet assigned rewards of ten, twenty, and thirty respectively according to the greeting’s content. Other narrations confirm this ruling, and Ibn Abbas and his students teach that whoever greets you, respond—even if a Magian—because Allah says to respond with equal or better. Qatada explains that the first part applies to Muslims—greeting with better—and the second to the People of the Covenant (dhimmis)—responding equally. Regarding dhimmis, they do not initiate salam nor add to it, and the Prophet’s practice was to respond mildly and reprimand excessive greeting from them. Sufyan al-Thawri said salam is voluntary, response obligatory. This is the scholarly consensus: it is compulsory to respond to salam to avoid disobeying Allah’s command. The verse "Allah—there is no deity except Him" is a factual statement confirming His uniqueness and exalted oneness as the sole God of all creation. It includes an oath accompanying the statement "He will surely gather you all on the Day of Resurrection without doubt," emphasizing the undeniable reality of resurrection and recompense. "And who is truer in statement than Allah?" means none is more truthful than Him in speech, information, promise, and threat. There is no god but Him, and no Lord besides Him.

• ✓ Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an on 4:86

  Shia

  Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an · 4:86

  Recitation Variants: The verse commanding to respond to a greeting with an equal or better greeting is recited as follows: "And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet with one better than it, or return it." Language: The term "greeting" (تحية) here specifically refers to "salam" (peace greeting). The verb "ḥayya" (to greet) and the noun "taḥiya" (greeting) mean to salute or offer peace. A poet said: "Indeed, we greet you, O Salma, so we have greeted; and if you give water to noble people, we also give water." Also, "taḥiya" means sovereignty or kingship. Another said: "From all that a young man gains, I have acquired all except the greeting," meaning the kingdom. It is thus called "taḥiya" because kingship is enlivened through salutations and good praise. The term "ḥasīb" in "Indeed Allah is ever, over all things, an Accountant" refers to one who preserves and watches over everything, so nothing is overlooked. Grammatically, "ḥasīb" is a form derived from "ḥisāb" (calculation or enumeration). It is said: One person "ḥāsaba" another for something, and the one who holds the account is his "ḥasīb." Also, by some, the word here means "sufficient" as in the phrase "I consider myself sufficient" meaning "it suffices me." The scholar az-Zajjāj explained that "ḥasīb" means that Allah gives to everything knowledge, preservation, and recompense, precisely as He deems necessary, enough for His accounting. This is supported by the phrase "an 'aṭā'an ḥisāban" meaning a sufficient gift. Meaning: The command "And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet with one better than it, or return it" instructs Muslims to respond to the Muslim greeting with something better if the greeter is a believer; if not, then simply respond with "and peace be upon you." The phrase "one better than it" applies specifically to Muslims, while "or return it" is for the People of the Book, according to Ibn Abbas. For example, if a Muslim says "As-salamu 'alaykum," respond with "wa 'alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullah" (and upon you be peace and Allah's mercy). If they say "As-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah," respond with "wa 'alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh" (and upon you be peace, Allah's mercy, and His blessings). This way, the greeting is returned in its utmost form. Other scholars, such as as-Suddī, ‘Aṭā’, Ibrāhīm, and Ibn Jurayj, understood the command similarly but restricted "or return it" to Muslims only. They said: if a Muslim greets you, return with better or at least equal greeting. This is stronger because of a hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) stating: "If the People of the Book greet you, say 'and upon you.'" Imam Ali ibn Ibrahim narrates from the Imams peace be upon them: "The greeting in the verse means salam and other acts of kindness." Al-Hasan reported a man came to the Prophet and said, "Peace be upon you." The Prophet replied, "And upon you be peace and mercy of Allah." Then another came and said, "Peace be upon you and mercy of Allah." The Prophet said, "And upon you be peace and mercy of Allah and blessings." Then a third came and said, "Peace be upon you and mercy of Allah and blessings." The Prophet replied, "And upon you be peace and mercy and blessings." When asked why he increased the greeting for the first two but not the third, he said it was because nothing remained of greeting to add, so he responded equally. Al-Wahidi narrates from Abu Umamah, from Malik ibn At-Tihān, that the Prophet said: "Whoever says, 'As-salamu 'alaykum' will be recorded ten good deeds; whoever says 'As-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah' will be recorded twenty; and whoever says 'As-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh' will be recorded thirty good deeds." Interpretation of "Indeed Allah was over all things, a reckoner": Mujāhid explained it as Allah being a guardian over all things. Others said it means sufficient or accountable. Ibn Abbas said it is metaphorical. The verse implies the obligation of returning greetings because the command's wording indicates a ruling of obligation. Al-Hasan and many exegetes said salam is voluntary but responding to it is obligatory; this response may be communal or individual, and sometimes it becomes necessary when one is the only person present. Connection to Previous Verses: The continuity with the preceding verse is that the "greeting" here means peacefulness, which is the converse of war. After commanding the fighting of disbelievers, God then says for those inclined to peace and who give from themselves to greet the believers with peace, Muslims should respond.