The fourth is that when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, visited the sick Jewish boy, he said to him, “Accept Islam ...” the hadith. He did not begin by greeting him. This is an authentic hadith, narrated by al-Bukhari and others, and cited in al-Irwa’ (1272). Had the prohibited initiation meant only when one encounters him on the road, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would have greeted him, since this was plainly not on the road.

Likewise, fifth: when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, came to his uncle Abu Talib during his final illness, he likewise did not begin by greeting him. Rather, he said to him: “O uncle, say: There is no god worthy of worship but Allah ...” The hadith was narrated by the two Shaykhs and others, and cited in al-Irwa’ (1273).

These reports establish that it is categorically impermissible to initiate the greeting to a person of the Book, whether on the road, at home, or elsewhere.

If it is asked: May one initiate conversation with him using something other than the greeting, such as, “How are you this morning or this evening?” or, “How are you?” and the like? I say: What appears to me—and Allah knows best—is that this is permissible, because the prohibition mentioned in the hadith concerns the greeting; and when used without qualification, this refers to the Islamic greeting, which includes the Name of Allah, exalted is He, as in the Prophet’s saying, peace and blessings be upon him:

“Al-Salam is one of the Names of Allah which He placed on earth, so spread it among yourselves.”

It was narrated by al-Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad (989), and will come later at (1894).

Further supporting what I have mentioned is Alqamah’s statement: “Abdullah—that is, Ibn Masud—only greeted the Persian landowners by gesture.” Al-Bukhari narrated it (1104) under the heading: “Greeting a dhimmi by gesture.” Its chain is authentic.