QUESTION:
1. If a person makes salaam in WhatsApp group, do all participants have to reply, or would one or a few participants replying enough?
A- No, it will not be necessary on each individual on the group to reply to the Salaam. If one person or a few individuals responds to the Salaam, it will suffice for the entire group.
قال في شرح الشرعة: واعلم أنهم قالوا إن السلام سنة واستماعه مستحب، وجوابه أي رده فرض كفاية (الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين 6/413)
2. If a person types, ‘Salaam’ (instead of Assalāmu Alaykum), is that a valid Salaam? Do we need to reply?
A- If Salaam was made with following words ‘Assalamualaikum or Salaamun Alaikum’ then it will be regarded as Salaam and it will be necessary to respond. The Arabic is recorded below:
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُم or سَّلَامٌ عَلَيْكُم
Any other words of Salaam such as ‘Salaams’ or ‘Slmz’ will not be considered as a proper Salaam hence not necessary to respond.
ولفظ السلام في المواضع كلها: السلام عليكم أو سلام عليكم بالتنوين، وبدون هذين كما يقول الجهال، لا يكون سلاما (الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين 6/416)
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Maulana Abdul Kader Fazlani
Date: 20 Rajab 1445 / 01 February 2024
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
