(86) “When you are greeted with a greeting, respond with one better than it, or return it in kind. Surely Allah is ever the Reckoner of all things.”

A greeting is an expression uttered by one of two people meeting, as a mark of respect and a supplication, together with the cheerfulness and similar courtesies that accompany it.

The highest form of greeting is that prescribed by the Sacred Law: the greeting of peace, both when initiating it and when returning it. Allah therefore commands the believers, whenever they are greeted in any manner, to respond with words and cheerfulness better than those offered to them, or at least equal to them. This implicitly prohibits failing to respond altogether or responding in an inferior manner.

The noble verse encourages initiating the greeting of peace and other greetings in two ways:

First, Allah commands that they be returned with something better or equivalent. This necessarily indicates that offering a greeting is prescribed by the Sacred Law.

Second, the comparative form “better” indicates that both the initial greeting and its response possess goodness, as is normally implied by the comparative form.

Excluded from the general scope of this noble verse is a greeting offered in circumstances in which it is not prescribed, such as “to someone occupied with recitation, listening to a sermon, prayer, or the like.” In such cases, no response to the greeting is required. Also excluded is anyone whom the Lawgiver has commanded people to shun and not greet: an unrepentant sinner who may be deterred by being shunned. Such a person is to be shunned and not greeted, nor is his greeting to be returned, because a greater benefit takes precedence.

Returning a greeting includes every customary greeting people use that is not prohibited by the Sacred Law; one is commanded to return it with something equal or better. Allah then promises reward for good deeds and warns of punishment for evil deeds, saying, “Surely Allah is ever the Reckoner of all things.” He records His servants’ deeds—the good and the evil, the small and the great—and then recompenses them as required by His bounty, justice, and praiseworthy judgment.