Question 2102: Is 'Salam' (greetings) also recommended when bidding farewell?
Answer
✅ Answer: Please pay attention to the following traditions:
1 عَنْ مَسْعَدَةَ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ، عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ: أَنَّ اَلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ قَالَ: «إِذَا قَامَ اَلرَّجُلُ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ فَلْيُوَدِّعْ إِخْوَانَهُ بِالسَّلاَمِ، فَإِنْ أَفَاضُوا فِي خَيْرٍ كَانَ شَرِيكَهُمْ، وَ إِنْ أَفَاضُوا فِي بَاطِلٍ كَانَ عَلَيْهِمْ دُونَهُ»
📚 Qurb al-Isnad, p. 46
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) narrated from his father that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: 'When a person rises from his gathering, he should bid farewell to his brothers by giving Salam. Then, if they engage in a good deed, he will be a partner with them, and if they engage in falsehood, the harm is upon them, not him!'
2 أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ حَدَّثَنِي مُوسَى حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ : إِذَا قَامَ أَحَدُكُمْ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ فَلْيُوَدِّعْهُمْ بِالسَّلَامِ
📚 Al-Ja'fariyat, p. 229.
Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: 'When one of you rises from his gathering, he should bid farewell to them by giving Salam!'
3 رُوِيَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ صَلَّی اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ قَالَ: إِذَا قَامَ أَحَدُكُمْ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ مُنْصَرِفاً فَلْيُسَلِّمْ فَلَيْسَتِ اَلْأُولَی بِأَوْلَی مِنَ اَلْأُخْرَی.
📚 Makarim al-Akhlaq, p. 26.
It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he said: 'When one of you rises to leave his gathering, then he must give Salam! The first Salam is no more worthy than the last Salam!'
✅ In the above traditions, it is observed that one of the recommended manners advised by the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them all) is that if a person wishes to rise to leave a gathering, he should bid farewell to the people remaining in the gathering by giving them Salam.
One of the rewards of this action is that if, after this person leaves, the people in the gathering engage in a good deed, this person will also be a partner with them, and if they engage in falsehood, the harm will be on them and not on this person.
✅ According to tradition 3 , the Salam upon entering the gathering is no more worthy than this farewell Salam, and thus it is appropriate to practice this good manner, if Allah wills (Insha'Allah).
✅ Upon mentioning the above traditions, I was reminded of this passage from the martyrology (Maqtal) of our master, Imam Husayn (peace be upon him):
أقول: و فی بعض الكتب أن الحسین لما نظر إلی اثنین و سبعین رجلا من أهل بیته صرعی التفت إلی الخیمة و نَادَی یَا سُكَیْنَةُ یَا فَاطِمَةُ یَا زَیْنَبُ یَا أُمَّ كُلْثُومٍ عَلَیْكُنَّ مِنِّی السَّلَامُ فَنَادَتْهُ سُكَیْنَةُ یَا أَبَهْ اسْتَسْلَمْتَ لِلْمَوْتِ؟ فَقَالَ كَیْفَ لَا یَسْتَسْلِمُ مَنْ لَا نَاصِرَ لَهُ وَ لَا مُعِینَ فَقَالَتْ یَا أَبَهْ رُدَّنَا إِلَی حَرَمِ جَدِّنَا فَقَالَ هَیْهَاتَ لَوْ تُرِكَ الْقَطَا لَنَامَ فتصارخن النساء فسكتهن الحسین و حمل علی القوم.
📚 Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 45, p. 46
Al-Majlisi says: It is mentioned in some Maqatil (books of martyrology) that when Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) saw his seventy-two companions and family members lying on the ground, he turned towards the women's tents and cried out: 'O Sakina, and Fatima, and Umm Kulthum! Upon you be my Salam!'
Sakina called out to him: 'O father! Have you surrendered to death?' He said: 'How can one who has no helper or supporter not surrender to death?' She said: 'Father! Take us back to the sanctuary of our grandfather.' He said: 'Far from it! If the sand grouse were set free, it would sleep!'
Then the women of the Haram cried out, and Husayn (peace be upon him) silenced them and charged the army of Umar ibn Sa'd (may Allah curse him)!
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْر