What is Sahih Muslim 5508 about?

This hadith from Sahih Muslim (Book of The Book of Greetings), narrated by Ibn 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:, states: "When the Jews offer you salutations, some of them say as-Sam-u-'Alaikum (death be upon you). You should say (in response to it): Let it be upon you."

Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sahih Muslim, which contains 7,459 hadiths across 57 books. It is hadith number 5508 in the Book of The Book of Greetings.

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

Hadith numbering varies across editions and translations (USC-MSA, Dar as-Salam, Fath al-Bari, and others). If you followed a link citing a different number but landed here, you may have been redirected to the canonical version in our library. If you were looking for a different hadith entirely, use the search bar to find it by text.

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#5507

#5508

Sahih Muslim

#5509

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Sahih Muslim #5508

The Book of Greetings

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، وَيَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ، وَابْنُ، حُجْرٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لِيَحْيَى بْنِ يَحْيَى - قَالَ يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ الآخَرُونَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ - عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ ابْنَ عُمَرَ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِنَّ الْيَهُودَ إِذَا سَلَّمُوا عَلَيْكُمْ يَقُولُ أَحَدُهُمُ السَّامُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَقُلْ عَلَيْكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

When the Jews offer you salutations, some of them say as-Sam-u-'Alaikum (death be upon you). You should say (in response to it): Let it be upon you.

Narrated by Ibn 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

Context

In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) addresses the manner in which Muslims should respond to greetings from Jews, who may use a phrase that implies death. The Prophet's instruction emphasizes the importance of maintaining a respectful demeanor, even in the face of potentially hostile words. The takeaway is to respond with grace and dignity, reflecting the character of a true believer.

Modern Application

In today's world, this principle encourages individuals to respond to negativity or hostility with kindness and respect. For example, in a workplace where colleagues may not always be supportive, maintaining a positive attitude and responding courteously can foster a more harmonious environment.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Respectful Greetings and Prophetic Etiquette because it illustrates the importance of responding to greetings in a dignified manner, reflecting the Prophet's (ﷺ) teachings on maintaining respect in communication.

Respectful Greetings Prophetic Etiquette