returns your salām, you feel affection toward him—even though you and he may never have met before. For that reason, among the beauties of Islam is to make salām widespread, to extend the greeting of peace to those you know and those you do not.

The author—may Allah have mercy on him—then cited several verses from the Book of Allah:

1. Salām is part of the legacy of the messengers and of the angels as well. When the angels came to Abraham (upon him be peace) and entered his presence, they said, “Salāman.” He replied, “Salām.” Grammarians note that Abraham’s response is more complete than the angels’ greeting, for the angels used salāman in the accusative, a verbal noun dependent on an omitted verb—“We offer salām”—which forms a verbal clause and therefore does not convey permanence. Abraham, however, answered with the nominal sentence salām, meaning “Peace be upon you,” and a nominal clause implies constancy. His reply was thus superior, exemplifying Allah’s command: “When you are greeted with a salutation, respond with one better than it, or at least return it in kind” ⦗4:86⦘. From this it is clear that the greeting of salām was the practice of earlier messengers and of the angels who are nearest to Allah.

2. The author also quoted the verse proving the same point: “O you who believe, do not enter houses other than your own until you have sought permission and greeted their inhabitants with peace; that is better for you, so that you may take heed.” ⦗24:27⦘