ten riyals, and he is in need, he will be overjoyed by it and hold it in high esteem; yet if you handed the same amount to a rich man, it would mean nothing to him. In the same way, the Prophet ﷺ sent that man back so that he would yearn for knowledge and his heart would open to it. The Prophet ﷺ then said:

“When you rise for prayer, perfect your wuḍūʾ (ablution); then face the qiblah (direction of prayer) and pronounce the takbīr. Next, recite whatever you can from the Quran, though al-Fātiḥah is indispensable, as other texts make clear. Bow until you are fully tranquil in your bowing, then rise until you are fully tranquil standing. Prostrate until you are fully tranquil in prostration, then sit until you are fully tranquil sitting, and prostrate again until you are fully tranquil in prostration. That is one complete rak‘ah. Do the same throughout your whole prayer.”

The Messenger ﷺ taught him, the man learned, and then went on his way.

From this ḥadith the author deduced that when a person returns to his brother—even after only a brief separation—he should greet him with salām. For example, you may be in the mosque, leave to renew your wuḍūʾ or fetch a book, and then come back; on your return say salām. This is virtuous, for every salām counts as ten good deeds.

The author, may Allah have mercy on him, further mentioned that it is sunnah for a person to offer salām when entering his house, citing the verse: “So when you enter houses, greet one another with a salutation from Allah, blessed and good” (Q 24:61). Thus, when you enter your home, greet it with salām, but begin first by using the siwāk, then greet your family. The Prophet ﷺ advised his servant Anas b. Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him): “My son, when you enter upon your family, give salām; it will be a blessing for you and for your household.” For this reason Allah said, “blessed and good.”