Is it permissible to respond with "Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh" to greetings such as "Samu Alaikum," "Azzayak," or "Sabah Al-khair"?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Responding with "Wa Alaikum Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh" to any greeting other than "Assalam" is permissible, and there appears to be no religious impediment to it, as it is, in reality, a form of greeting. Responding to someone who conveys a greeting with "Alaikassalam" is also permissible. However, a greeting that does not use the word "Assalam" does not necessitate a response. As for the phrase "Samu Alaiku," it is a severe linguistic distortion that should be avoided. It appears not to be part of the legitimate Islamic greeting, and therefore, one is not obligated to respond to someone who greets with it.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/161065
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 161065
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy