Student Notices

Articles & Resources

Articles here are checked or edited by Maulana Shams Ad-Duha Muhammad. They are not confined to those written by scholars and students at EC but also contain articles from other sources and writers on topics of importance. Sometimes when articles are from other sources, an introductory paragraph, in bold, will be added by the editor. You will also find a section with electronic copies of books and other useful resources.

This section is brand new so please bear with us as we compile and upload new content.

Help us keep this work going

We would like to dedicate resources to research and finding solutions to the problems faced by Muslims and publishing them. If you would like to contribute to this work and see it flourish please go to the following page and make a donation:<<support us now!>>

Please use the buttons below to jump to the category of your interest

1. General Articles about Islam and Matters of Shari'ah

2. About Self-Purification and Self-Development

3.About Education

4.Useful Books & Resources

Below is a host of useful resources, including complete books in word or other format, that people especially students and ulama will find useful to download.

Salam is for Non-Muslims

The question of whether it is possible to say salam to non-Muslims is a very relevant one. Muslims face many situations on a daily basis where they are greeted with salam by non-Muslim friends and colleagues. Faced by opinions and fatwas suggesting that saying the full salam to non-Muslims is impermissible, they are often left feeling uncomfortable at not being able reciprocate another person's gesture of goodwill and friendship towards them. While reading up on the issue I came across the following article by Sheikh Faysal b. Anwar Mawlawî who rectifies a common misunderstanding in the matter and puts our minds at rest.

It is perfectly alright for a non Muslim to greet another person with the Islamic greeting of peace: “ Al-Salâm `Alaykum wa Rahmah Allah wa Barakâtuh .”

However, the non-Muslim will not receive the blessing for the practice that a Muslim does, since the blessing one earns by offering the greeting to someone else comes from emulating the example – the Sunnah – of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and a non-Muslim, by definition, does not believe in following the Prophet’s Sunnah as a matter of faith.

It is also permissible for a Muslim to greet a non Muslim with this greeting. This was asserted by a number of Companions and Successors, including Ibn `Abbâs, Ibn Mas`ûd, Abû Umâmah, Ibn Muhîrîz, and `Umar b. `Abd al-`Azîz. It was also the opinion of many prominent imams, including Sufyân b. `Uyaynah, al-Sha`bî, al-Awzâ`î, and al-Tabarî. Recently, this opinion has been adopted by al-Sayyid Rashîd Ridâ’ in Tafsîr al-Manâr and al-Shinqîtî in Adwâ’ al-Bayân .

This view is in harmony with how the Qur’ân represents the Islamic greeting of peace as a universal greeting.

Allah says: “O you who believe! Enter not houses other than your own without first announcing your presence and invoking peace upon the folk thereof. That is better for you, that you may be heedful.” [ Sûrah al-Nûr : 27]

Allah says: “And when they hear idle talk they turn aside from it and say: We shall have our deeds and you shall have your deeds; peace be on you, we do not desire the ignorant.” [ Sûrah al-Qasas : 55]

He says: “And the servants of (Allah) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, ‘Peace!’ ” [ Sûrah al-Furqân : 63]

He also says: “Consider his cry: ‘O my Lord! surely they are a people who do not believe’. So turn away from them and say, ‘Peace’, for they shall soon come to know.” [ Sûrah al-Zukhruf : 88-89]

And: “(The father) replied: ‘Do you hate my gods, O Abraham? If you forbear not, I will indeed stone you: Now get away from me for a good long while!’ Abraham said: ‘Peace be on thee: I will pray to my Lord for thy forgiveness: for He is to me Most Gracious’.” [ Sûrah Maryam : 47]

There is also ample hadîth evidence to establish the universality of this greeting.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Greet with ‘Peace’ those whom you know and those whom you do not know.” [ Sahîh al-Bukharî (12) and Sahîh Muslim (39)]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also informed us that when Allah created Adam, He commanded him: “Go to that assembly – and they were an assembly of seated angels – and listen to how they greet you. Indeed, it is your greeting and the greeting of your descendants. He said: “Peace be upon you.” They said: “Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy.” [ Sahîh al-Bukhârî (3326 & 6227) and Sahîh Muslim (2841)]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said: “Spread the greeting of peace.” [ Sunan al-Tirmidhî (1854) and Sahîh Ibn Hibbân (489)]

There are many scholars who hold the view that it is either disliked or prohibited for Muslims to initiate the greeting of salâm with non-Muslims. They rely on the following hadîth as evidence: “Do not initiate the salutation of ‘Peace’ with the Jews and Christians.” [ Sahîh Muslim (2167)]

However, this hadîth relates to a state of hostilities which had erupted at that time against the Muslims. It was, in fact, at the time of the campaign against Banû Qurayzah. This is established by another authentic hadîth where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “We are going forth in the morning against a group of Jews, so do not initiate the greeting of ‘Peace’ with them. [ Musnad Ahmad (26695) and Mu`jam al-Tabarânî al-Kabîr (22/291). See also Musnad Ahmad (16844 & 17584)]

Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalânî relates the same from al-Bukhârî’s al-Adab al-Mufrad and from Sunan al-Nasâ’î while discussing this topic in Fath al-Bârî (11/39).

Therefore, the opinion that the greeting of peace can be used for all people is the strongest one. This view has been held by eminent scholars of all schools of thought. It is certainly the opinion to adopt when living at peace in the company of non-Muslims. Those Muslims who are living in non-Muslim countries should have a concern for outreach. Greeting all people in the best of manner without showing discrimination is an essential etiquette of reaching out to others.

It is also important to understand that the difference of opinion regarding the greeting of “ salâm ” with non-Muslims pertains only to initiating the greeting, not to replying to it. When a non-Muslim greets a Muslim with “ al-Salâm `alaykum ”, then it is obligatory for the Muslim to return the greeting.

This is because Allah says: “When you are greeted with a greeting, greet back with better than it or return it. Lo! Allah takes count of all things.” [ Sûrah al-Nisâ’ : 86]

This verse shows that it is preferable to offer a better, more generous greeting and it is obligatory to do justice and to at least return the same. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah explains in Ahkâm Ahl al-Dhimmah that this ruling certainly applies to non-Muslims as well as Muslims.

Back to Top

Exchanging Gifts With Non-Muslims On Their Holidays

Similar to the question of salam to non-Muslims this is also an important issue for Muslims. I came accross this article from the same source stated in the article about salam. The article is by Sheikh Rashîd b. Hasan al-Alma`î.

The basic ruling regarding the gifts given by the People of the Scripture and other non-Muslims is that their gifts are lawful for a Muslim to accept.

`Alî b Abî Tâlib related that “The ruler of Persia sent a gift to the Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and he accepted it. The ruler of Rome sent him a gift and he accepted it. The kings sent gifts to him and he accepted them all.” [ Musnad Ahmad (1/96). See also Sunan al-Tirmidhî (1576)]

Al-Bukhârî, has placed a chapter in his Sahîh , specifically in the Book of Gifts, entitled: “Accepting the Gifts of the Polytheists”.

Under this chapter heading, he relates: “The king of Aylah sent to the Prophet (peace be upon him) a white mule and a robe.” [ Sahîh al-Bukhârî (1481) and Sahîh Muslim (1392)]

Elsewhere, Anas relates that the ruler of Doma (in Syria) gave a gift to the Prophet (peace be upon him). [ Sahîh al-Bukhârî (2616) and Sahîh Muslim (2469)]

This indicates that it is permissible for Muslims to accept gifts from non-Muslims as long as the gifts themselves are not things that are unlawful. This permissibility is general, and it is not restricted by considerations of whether or not the gift is being given on one of their religious holidays.

Ibn Taymiyah, while discussing the question of accepting gifts from non-Muslim on their religious holidays, mentions that `Alî b. Abî Tâlib was presented a gift on the Zoroastrian holiday of Nairuz, and he accepted the gift.

A woman once asked `Â’ishah: “Among us are communities of Zoroastrians and they give us gifts on their religious festivals.”

`Â’ishah said to her: “As for what they slaughter on that day, do not eat of it. However, eat of their fruits and vegetables.” [ Musannaf Ibn Abî SahybahM (24361)]

The Companion Abû Barzah mentioned that there were Zoroastrians living in his area and they used to give him gifts on Nairuz and Mehrgan. He would instruct his family: “What they give you of fruit you may eat. What else they give you, return it.” [ Musannaf Ibn Abî Sahybah (24362)]

After mentioning these instances, Ibn Taymiyah observes [ Iqtidâ’ al-Sirât al-Mustaqîm (2/552-553)]:

All of this indicates that the fact that a gift is given on the occasion of one of their holidays has no effect on the permissibility of accepting the gift. Indeed, the ruling on accepting their gifts is the same whether or not it is one of their holidays. This is not in any way giving them help in their religious rites. Rather, the question of accepting gifts from the unbelievers who are hostile to us and with those who are under a covenant with us is an independent issue wherein there is disagreement and detailed rulings that we are not discussing right now.

We are allowed to eat the food of the People of the Scripture during their holidays that we receive by way of purchase, a gift, or other means as long as it is not meat of animals that are slaughtered as part of the religious festival. As for the animals slaughtered by the Zoroastrians, it is well known that such meat is unlawful according to the general view.

Ibn al-`Uthaymîn observes [ Majmû` al-Fatâwâ fî al-`Aqîdah (3/33)]:

Scholars have differed regarding the permissibility of accepting the gifts given by non-Muslims on the occasion of their religious festivals. Some scholars have prohibited it, considering such acceptance to be an indication of approval for the festival. Others have said that there is nothing wrong with accepting those gifts.

In any case, as long no unlawful situation arises where the giver of the gift believes that you are pleased with what they are upon, then there is nothing wrong with accepting their gifts. Otherwise, it would be better to refrain from accepting them.

As for a Muslim giving gifts to non-Muslims, this is permissible as long as it is not done with the intention of celebrating their holidays or out of love for their religious festivals. We should rather give them gifts with the general intention of endearing their hearts and as means of calling them to Islam.

And Allah knows best, and He is the one who gives guidance.

Back to Top