Home
Discover Islam
Quran Recitations
Lectures
Fatwa
Articles
Fiqh
E-Books
Women
Boys & Girls 
Enter Question
View By Subject
Fatwa Of The Week
Selected Fatwa
Fatwa CenterRuling on Returning the Greeting of Peace When One
Question
If I watch a video about Islam and the person says assalamu ‘alaykum to the viewers, which includes me, is it obligatory to return the greeting, even though it is just a video and they cant hear me?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Hears It on Radio or Reads It in a Magazine or Newspaper
Returning the greeting of peace is a communal obligation. If one of them responds, it is sufficient and the communal obligation is met and the rest bears no sin for it.
The scholarly opinion adopted in Islamweb on returning the greeting of peace pronounced by a broadcaster on the TV, radio, and the like, is that if the broadcast is live and the broadcaster pronounced a general wording like, “Dear viewers, peace be upon you,” or the like, it is incumbent on whoever hears him to return the greeting of peace. If he knows that other viewers returned the greeting, it is not obligatory on him to return the greeting of peace. This is because returning the greeting of peace is a communal obligation. However, if the broadcast is recorded, it is not incumbent on the audience to return the greeting of peace.
Allah, The Exalted, Says (what means): {And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet [in return] with one better than it or [at least] return it [in a like manner]. Indeed, Allah is ever, over all things, an Accountant.} [Quran 4:86] Tafseer scholars said: “It means when a Muslim person greets you, return the greeting with what is better!” [Please refer to Tafseer Ibn Katheer, Al-Khazin, and others]
In this case, the broadcaster has not greeted the viewer or listener (directly), and therefore, he is not obliged to return the greeting. This was the Fatwa issued by contemporary scholars in this regard.
For instance, Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen 
was asked about that issue and said in Fatawa Noor ‘ala Ad-Darb:
“If it is recorded, then you do not have to return the greeting because this is just transmission of sound.” [End of quote]
In the same vein, Shaykh Ibn Baz was asked: “If a writer says in his article in a newspaper or magazine, or an author says in his book, or a broadcaster says on the radio or television: Assalaamu ‘alaykum wa Rahmatu Allahi wa barakatuhu (May Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon you), does the listener have to return the greeting on the basis that returning the greetings of peace is obligatory?
He replied:
“Returning the greeting of peace in such cases is a communal obligation because he is greeting a large audience. It is sufficient for some of them to return it, although it is better if each Muslim who hears it returns the greeting because of the general indication of the relevant evidence. For example, Allah, The Exalted, Says (what means): {And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet [in return] with one better than it or [at least] return it [in a like manner]. Indeed, Allah is ever, over all things, an Accountant.} [Quran 4:86] The Prophet also said: “There are five rights for a Muslim over his fellow Muslims…,” and he mentioned ‘… returning the greeting of peace’ among them.”
Allah knows best.
Search Fatwa
Fatwa Subject
