There are some sunnah on meeting people, such as 'Give Salutation', 'Lengthen Greeting', 'Smiling', 'Shaking Hands', & 'Saying Kalimah Tayyibah'. How many times we meet people in a day? Imagine the rewards we will get by applying these! MashaAllah !!!
Sunnahs when Meeting People:
1. Give Tasleem (Salutation)
The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) was asked "which type of Islam is the best?" ; and he (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) answered: "to feed people and salute the people you know or don't know." [Al-Bukhari, The Book of Eeman, Hadith 12; Muslim, The Book of Eeman, Hadith 39]
2. Lengthen the greeting
A man approached the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and saluted him saying "As-salaamu Alaykum (peace upon you)", the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) returned the salutation and after the man sat down, the Prophet said: "that was ten"; then another man came and said "As-salaamu Alaykum wa rahmatullah (peace and mercy of Allah upon you)" the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: "that was twenty"; then a third man came and said " As-salaamu Alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh (peace and mercy and blessings of Allah upon you) the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: "that was thirty." [Abu Daawood, The Book of Good Manners; Muslim, The Book of Eeman, Hadith 5195, 2689; At-Tirmidhee, The Book of Asking Permission and Good Manners]
Look how much reward the first two wasted because they didn't say the whole Islamic salutation to get the complete reward of thirty good deeds. And as a good deed it is at least considered ten; the sum would have been three hundred good deeds and might be more. As salutation take place many times a day; you should train yourself to utter the full Islamic salutation to get that great reward.
Do not forget that it is also from the Sunnah that whoever decides to leave a person that he should say the complete salaam:
“When one of you comes to a gathering, then say ‘Salaam’, and if someone decides to leave, then say ‘Salaam’, and the first does not have more right than the last.” [Abu Daawood, The Book of Good Manners; Muslim, The Book of Eeman, Hadith 5208, 2706; At-Tirmidhee, The Book of Asking Permission and Good Manners]
3. Smiling
The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: "do not consider any of the good things as insignificant; even if it is that you meet your brother with a cheerful face." [Muslim, The Book Piety, Joining of The Ties of Relationship and Good Manners, Muslim, The Book of Eeman, Hadith 2626]
4. Shaking hands
Our Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: "there are not two Muslims who meet with each other and shake hands of each other, except that they are forgiven them before their depart (from each other)." [Abu Daawood, The Book of Good Manners; Muslim, The Book of Eeman, Hadith 5212, 2727; At-Tirmidhee, The Book of Asking Permission and Good Manners]
An Nawawi said: you should know that it is preferred to shake hands in every time they meet. So dears, try to shake hands with whoever you salute with a smiley face; thus you will be applying three sunnahs at once.
5. Say kalimah Tayyibah
Allah says: "Say to My Slaves to say that which is better. Verily, Shaytaan incites to evil between them. Verily, Shaytaan is for mankind a clear enemy." [Quran 7: 53]
The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: "A Kalimah Tayyibah is charity" [Al-Bukhari, The Book of Jihaad, Hadith 2989; Muslim, The Book of Az-Zakaah, Hadith 1009]
✦ A Kalimah Tayyibah (Kind words) include: Ath-dhikr (remembrance of Allah), du'aa, salutation, rightful complementation, good manners, virtues and good deeds.
✦ Kind words are magical as they win others' hearts.
✦ Kind words are proofs how enlightened the heart of the believer is. So you should embrace your whole life with kind words; your spouse, children, neighbors, friends, servants and everyone you deal with needs kind words.
