Power of Greeting
Never underestimate the power of small kind gesture
In today’s modern world people have turned to robots by keeping themselves busy all day, They don’t meet each other-even giving a smile takes a lot of effort on the part of such kind of busy people.With each passing day people are going away from each other despite all the social networking applications.Due to very hectic work schedule and other activities,people has stopped giving value to small kind gestures that are not only good and healthy for society but a person who performs himself gets a lot of benefit from it.It is already known that strong families makes strong community, strong communities makes strong societies and strong societies makes prosperous nation.Therefore, it is very important for every individual to take care of family first in order to build a strong healthy and prosperous nation.It would be worth to know the small kind gestures and how these small kind gestures are really helpful and effective for building an emotionally ,spiritually,psychologically strong nation.However,This article is about discussing one basic kind gesture and that is “Greeting”
Greeting is not just a polite sign or word of recognition but it is one of the ways to engage healthily with people. Greeting helps in eradicating the loneliness. In today’s world,majority of people are suffering from depression and loneliness.According to research,The feeling of loneliness is detrimental for the ones physical ,emotional,spiritual and mental health.It is researched that one out of every five women in United states are clinically lonely.Moreover,All religions include greeting words and greeting gestures but unfortunately people have lost that kind gesture long ago.
Islam religion strongly emphasize the act of greeting.When it comes to Islam, greeting is considered an act of worship-even not responding back to greeting of a person is considered a sin. Muslims greet by saying Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh which means “Peace be upon you and God’s Mercy and Blessings”. Well,who would not want the peace, mercy and blessings of God? Therefore,It is very important to greet one another. Greeting of Muslim is not only a beautiful prayer but it is also a way of assuring person that he/she is at peace and not intending to harm the next person.Moreover,It is recommended to greet even the unfamiliar person.
a man asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): What is the best thing in Islam? He said, Feeding others and giving the greeting of salaam to those whom you know and those whom you do not know.
Modern research mentions that skin-to-skin touch helps more in reducing depression than anti depressant drugs.However,Islam has also encouraged highly to greet by shaking hands as it helps in reducing depression.One who shake hands with smile on his face not only make other person happy but it gives the sense of human connection to a person.
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, when the Muslim shakes hands with his brother, both of their sins fall away like the falling of leaves from a tree.” (al-Muʻjam al-Awsaṭ)
Further,It is encouraged to response back to greeting with better greeting or inthe same manner .Muslims respond back by saying “Waalaikumsalam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh” which means “May Peace, Mercy and Blessings of Allah be Upon You Also”. It is mentioned in Quran
“And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet [in return] with one better than it or [at least] return it [in a like manner]. Indeed, Allah is ever, over all things, an Accountant”. (4:86)
Why Greeting is given so much importance in religion Islam?
Apart from increasing human connection ,greeting increases love between one another.
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “You will not enter Paradise until you have faith and you will not have faith until you love each other. Shall I show you something that, if you did, you would love each other? Spread peace between yourselves.” (sahih Islam).
It is commanded to Muslims to say salaam when entering homes.Saying “Salaam” (Peace) when entering homes is one of the ways to increase love and develop strong bonding within family members as a strong family is the basic unit of strong and prosperous nation. It is commanded in Quran
Believers! Enter not houses other than your own houses until you have obtained the permission of the inmates of those houses and have greeted them with peace. This is better for you. It is expected that you will observe this. (24:27)
Further, There are some insightful etiquette provided to Muslims from teaching of of prophet Muhammad .These are mentioned below
· The younger one should greet to older one first in order to show respect to elderly people
· The one who is riding should say salaam to one who is sitting.One who is in car or any vehicle is supposed to say salaam first to one who is sitting or standing outside.The reason behind this is to eradicate the sense of arrogance from the one who is having vehicle.
· The one who is walking is supposed to say salaam to the one who is sitting.Similarly smaller groups are supposed to salaam first to the larger groups.
However , If the one who is coming in does not say salaam, but the one who is in the house does say it, or if the one who is walking does not say salaam but the one who is sitting does say it, there is nothing wrong with that, rather he has done something good and has fulfilled the Sunnah (habitual practice of prophet Muhammad PBUH) of salaam, and the other one is obliged to respond.
Hence,Greeting is the one of the beautiful kind gestures which not only helps to increase connections but also makes society spiritually,Psychologically emotionally and socially healthy.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Do not belittle any good deed, even meeting your brother with a cheerful face.(Muslim)
