About Greeting

[munir rana]

Dear Brothers and Sisters
Salam.

In my country some muslims greet others saying slamalaikum or slamalekum. I generally say only salam (sometimes in my mother tongue also which is 'shanti') or assalamu alaikum or salamun alaikum. But I also think saying slamalaikum or slamalekum is not wrong, because the meaning which one wants to convey actually matters. But recently some are saying that this is not correct. It (slamalaikum) changes the meaning of greeting. (Hence should be avoided.) Does it? Whats your opinion?

[Duster]

Shalom / peace br. Munir ......i agree with your opinion.....the intended meaning is more important......

Also the following article from br. Joseph may help.....
http://quransmessage.com/articles/salamun%20alaikum

[munir rana]

Thanks Duster.

I read the article before. But I want to know here, Is their claim valid at all. Does the utterance 'slamalaikum' changes the meaning negatively.

[Duster]

Not sure.....what is the meaning they claim it changes it to? 'They' - whoever they are ....can't just make a claim and not back it up with what it is supposed to mean..... thanks

[munir rana]

They ignorantly claim that it (slamalaikum) means 'death be upon you' which is not correct. Actually this idea originates from hadith where the word was used as 'as-samu', not 'slamu'. Brother Joseph already dicussed it.

I want to know if  the word 'slamalekum/slamalaikum' means anything negative. I don't know arabic. That's why want to be clear if the word changes its meaning in any way.

[Hamzeh]

Asalamu Alykum Munir Rana

I'm assuming your from the area around India or Pakistan as I hear the utterance " 'slamalekum/slamalaikum' " mostly from those brothers and sisters from that region.

I always thought it was just the accent that they had regarding the Islamic greeting from the Quran "Salamun Alaikum".

Even some Arabic speaking people had somehow adapted a different accent to the actual Arabic Quranic greeting instead of "Salamun Alaikum" to Aslamo-alaikum". Some Arabs have different accents concerning the word as well. But the intent is a greeting of Peace.

So if its just the accent that makes the greeting sound different I do not see a problem with this. If the actual words "slamalekum/slamalaikum" has some kind of history and actually means something negative in Urdu or other languages then I would refrain from it.

I don't know any Arabic words that is "slamalekum/slamalaikum". So unless it means something negative in other languages then its fine if the intent is "Peace be upon you"

Hope that helps Insha'Allah

Salam

[Sardar Miyan]

 Bro Munir greeting by uttering Assalam is enough. If you are Hindu you may say Shanti Nastay or something in Hindi. Assamu Alaikum meant death on you.  Therefore simply calling Assalam is enouph

[munir rana]

Salam

Thanks everyone for your responses. I just wanted to know if linguistically `slamalaikum' changes the meaning of greeting.

Best Wishes