Aslam

Praise be to Allah.It was reported in the hadeeth that you should say

salaam to those you know and those you do not (narrated by al-Bukhaari, 12; al-Fath

1/55) but this applies only to Muslims, or those who appear to be Muslim.

It was also reported that it is forbidden to say salaam to Jews and Christians, because

the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not initiate the

greeting of salaam to a Jew or Christian, and if you meet them in the street, push them to

the narrowest part of the road.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2167). He

also said: “If the People of the Book greet you with salaam, say ‘wa

‘alaykum’ (and also upon you).” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6258).

But at that time the People of the Book were distinct

from the Muslims in their dress and appearance, and they were not allowed to resemble

Muslims. But in these times, unfortunately, many Muslims look like them, and we can no

longer tell the difference between a Muslim and a Christian. Everyone - except for those

whom Allaah wills – looks the same in dress, in being clean-shaven, in wearing

nothing on their heads, or wearing western-style caps, so the matter is more confusing. If

someone who looks like the mushrikeen says salaam to you, say “Wa

‘alaykum,” and do not initiate the greeting, because of the uncertainty about

him. If he objects and tells you off, then apologize to him. You had reason to act as you

did, because you did know whether he was a Muslim or a Christian, because he is not

dressing as a Muslim and prefers the dress of the Christians and others. Tell him that

“whoever imitates a people is one of them” (Saheeh, narrated by Imaam

Ahmad, 2/50-92), and advise him to distinguish himself from the kuffaar and

to dress as the Muslims dress, like his father, grandfathers and the scholars of the

Muslims. If he persists in what he is doing, this means that he likes the characteristics

of the Christians and is imitating them, and that he despises the Muslims and is going

against them, even though he does not gain anything from that besides blind imitation.

This indicates that he admires those kuffaar and thinks that their worldly achievements

and inventions, etc., stem from their false religion. This is going too far, for the

Muslims are wiser and more able to invent and produce, so he should not be deceived by the

Mushrikeen.