How to Greet Infidels
How to Greet Infidels
Question: What is the ruling on greeting infidels? If one passes by their gathering, should they be greeted or not?
Answer: One should not initiate or respond with words that are specifically Islamic, such as those used by them, like ''Namaste'', ''Ram Ram'', etc. However, out of necessity, it is permissible to address them with ''As-salamu ala man-ittaba'a al-huda'' (السلام على من التبع الهدى).
If they say ''As-salamu alaykum'' (السلام علیکم), one can respond with ''Wa alaykum'' (وعلیکم).
If they use their own greetings, like ''Namaste'', one can respond with ''Hidaak Allah'' (هداك اللّٰہ) or simply ''slam'' (سلام).
When the gathering is mixed, one should say ''Asslam'' (السلام) with the intention of addressing those who deserve it. If the gathering is exclusively infidels, one can say ''As-salamu ala man ittaba'a al-huda'' (السلام على من اتبع الهدى).
(Jami' al-Fatawa, Volume: 3, Page: 340)