This is what I said in that gathering. I would now add the following: Two matters support the general import of the verse.

First: al-Bukhari related in al-Adab al-Mufrad (1107)—the wording being his—and Ibn Jarir al-Tabari in his exegesis (10039), through two chains from Sammak, from Ikrimah, from Ibn Abbas, who said: “Return the greeting of peace to anyone who is Jewish, Christian, or Zoroastrian, for Allah says: ‘When you are greeted with a greeting ...’”—the verse.

I say: Its chain is authentic, were it not for the fact that it is narrated by Sammak from Ikrimah, for his narrations from Ikrimah in particular are inconsistent. Perhaps this applies when a report is attributed to the Prophet, whereas this report is attributed to a Companion, as you can see. It is further strengthened by what Said ibn Jubayr narrated from Ibn Abbas, who said: “If Pharaoh were to say to me, ‘May Allah bless you,’ I would say, ‘And you as well.’” Yet Pharaoh has already died. Al-Bukhari related it in his al-Adab (113), and its chain is authentic according to Muslim’s criteria.

Second: Allah’s saying: “Allah does not forbid you from being kind and just to those who have neither fought you because of your religion nor driven you from your homes. Indeed, Allah loves those who are just.” This verse explicitly enjoins kindness toward those disbelieving fellow citizens who live peacefully with the believers and do them no harm, as well as justice toward them. There can be no doubt that if one of them plainly says, “Peace be upon you,” and we curtly reply, “And upon you,” this is not just in any respect, much less an act of kindness; for in that case we are treating him no differently from those among them who may say, “Death be upon you.” This is manifest injustice. And Allah knows best.

705 — “Whenever he ate or drank, he would say: ‘Praise be to Allah, who fed and gave drink, made it easy to swallow, and provided it with an outlet.’”

Related by Abu Dawud (3851), Ibn Hibban (1351), Ibn al-Sunni in Deeds of the Day and Night (464), and al-Tabarani in al-Muʿjam al-Kabir (1/204/2), through Ibn Wahb, who said: “He informed me—”