Abu Ayyub reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace, said, "It is not lawful for a Muslim man to separate
himself from his brother for more than three days. When they meet, and
one turns away and the other turns away, the better of them is the one
who gives the greeting first."
Ibn 'Umar said that al-Agharr (who was a man from Muzayna and had
been a Companion of the Prophet) was owed some measures of dates by a man
from the Banu 'Amr ibn 'Awf who came to him many times. He said, "I went
to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he sent Abu
Bakr as-Siddiq with me." He continues, "Everyone we met greeted us. Abu
Bakr said, 'Don't you know that when people give the greeting before us,
they have the reward? Give the greeting before them and you will have the
reward.'"
Abu Hurayra reported that a man passed by the Messenger of Allah,
may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while hew as in an assembly and
said, "Peace be upon you." "Ten good deeds," he said. Another man passed
by and said, "Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah." The Prophet said,
"Twenty good deeds." Then yet another man passed by and said, "Peace be
upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessing," and the Prophet said,
"Thirty good deeds." Then a man in the gathering got up and did not give
the greeting. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace, said, "How quickly your companion forgets! When one of you comes
to an assembly, he should give the greeting. If he thinks he should sit
down, he sits down. When he stands up, he gives the greeting. Neither is
a greater duty than the other."
Jabir said, " "Someone riding should greet someone walking, and
someone walking should greet someone sitting down. When there are two people
walking, the better of them is the one who gives the greeting first."
