Today’s Quranic Word of the Day is Salaam = سَلام

Salaam is an Arabic word that means peace or perfect. It is one of the names of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’ala.  He alone is the Giver and source of peace and likewise, He alone is perfect from all defects. Allah says:

هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلَامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ ۚ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

[Quran 59:23]

He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection, the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior. Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him.

Also, it has been narrated in the Sunnah of our noble Prophet ﷺ that he used to say after every prayer,

عن عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا سَلَّمَ لَمْ يَقْعُدْ إِلاَّ مِقْدَارَ مَا يَقُولُ ‏ “‏اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلاَمُ وَمِنْكَ السَّلاَمُ تَبَارَكْتَ يَا ذَا الْجَلاَلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ ‏

[Sahih Darussalam]

It was narrated that ‘Aishah said: “When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said the Salaam at the end of prayer, he would sit only for as long as it took to say: (O Allah, You are As-Salaam, From You is all peace, blessed are You O Possessor of majesty and honor).’”

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The Home of Peace

One of the names of Paradise is Daar As-salaam (the home of peace and perfection). This is because in Paradise everyone will be free from worries, anxiety, grief and sorrow. They will obtain inner peace. Also, everything Allah has prepared for them therein is perfect.

وَٱللَّهُ يَدۡعُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ دَارِ ٱلسَّلَٰمِ وَيَهۡدِي مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٖ مُّسۡتَقِيمٖ

[Quran 10:25]

And Allah invites to the Home of Peace [i.e., Paradise] and guides whom He wills to a straight path.

There are many examples of the status of the people who will be rewarded with Jannah. After all the trials, tests, and sufferings of worldly life, the servant will finally have peace.

At the point of death

When the angels take the soul, if that person is found good and pure, the angels will say to him, “Peace be upon you, enter Paradise for the work that you used to do.”

ٱلَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّىٰهُمُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ طَيِّبِينَ يَقُولُونَ سَلَٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

[Quran 16:32]

The ones whom the angels take in death, [being] good and pure; [the angels] will say, “Peace be upon you. Enter Paradise for what you used to do.”

Upon entering the Paradise

Allah mentions in the Quran that the people who feared Allah will be driven into Paradise in groups, the doors will be opened, and the keepers of Paradise will convey the message of peace and will tell them to enter it.

وَسِيقَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوۡاْ رَبَّهُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡجَنَّةِ زُمَرًاۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءُوهَا وَفُتِحَتۡ أَبۡوَٰبُهَا وَقَالَ لَهُمۡ خَزَنَتُهَا سَلَٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ طِبۡتُمۡ فَٱدۡخُلُوهَا خَٰلِدِينَ

[Quran 39:73]

But those who feared their Lord will be driven to Paradise in groups until, when they reach it while its gates have been opened and its keepers say, “Peace be upon you; you have become pure; so enter it to abide eternally therein,” [they will enter].

Inside the Paradise

Those who are rewarded with Paradise will never have to leave. This will be their home forever. And their greeting among them will be the greeting of peace.

وَأُدۡخِلَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ جَنَّٰتٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِمۡۖ تَحِيَّتُهُمۡ فِيهَا سَلَٰمٌ

[Quran 14:23]

And those who believed and did righteous deeds will be admitted to gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein by permission of their Lord; and their greeting therein will be, “Peace!”

Greetings directly from Allah

Allah will address the people of Paradise with the greetings of peace, informing them that this reward is because of their patience. And the most beautiful point is that He calls it ‘the Final home’.

سَلَٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُم بِمَا صَبَرۡتُمۡۚ فَنِعۡمَ عُقۡبَى ٱلدَّارِ

[Quran 13:24]

“Peace [i.e., security] be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home.”

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The Greeting of Islam: As Salaam

The greeting of Islam is As Salamu alaykum – May peace be upon you. This is a du’a that we make for the person we greet. We can add to our greeting and du’a by saying, ‘Wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu” – and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. 

Our noble Prophet ﷺ directed the believers when he said:

عَن أَنَسٍ قَالَ‏:‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ إِنَّ السَّلامَ اسْمٌ مِنْ أَسْمَاءِ اللهِ تَعَالَى، وَضَعَهُ اللَّهُ فِي الأَرْضِ، فَأَفْشُوا السَّلامَ بَيْنَكُمْ‏.‏

[Hasan Al-Albani]

Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ said, “As-Salam (peace) is one of the Names of Allah Almighty which Allah has placed in the earth. Therefore give the greeting among yourselves.”

The spread of salaam should not be with segregation or specific to some but should be general to anyone that we see as a Muslim, who believes in Allah SWT. The Prophet ﷺ informed us that among the signs of the last hour is that people will be specific in their salaam and will only do it to those that they know. He said:

إِنَّ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ: أَن يُسلِّمَ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى الرَّجُلِ لَا يُسلِّمُ عَلَيهِ إِلَّا لِلمَعْرِفَةِ

[Hasan Riwayat Ahmad (3848)]

The Messenger of Allah, ﷺ said, “Indeed from among the signs of the last Hour is that a man will not give the greeting of peace to another man unless he knows him.”

The greeting should be given to all Muslims whether you know them or not. In fact, one of the benefits of spreading salaam is that it increases the love amongst ourselves. Our Messenger ﷺ told us in the hadith:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لاَ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا وَلاَ تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا أَلاَ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى أَمْرٍ إِذَا أَنْتُمْ فَعَلْتُمُوهُ تَحَابَبْتُمْ أَفْشُوا السَّلاَمَ بَيْنَكُمْ ‏”‏ ‏.

[Sahih Muslim]

Narrated Abu Hurairah: That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I inform you about a matter which if you do it, you will love one another? Spread the Salaam among each other.”

Once the greeting is conveyed, the person who is being greeted should respond with equal to the greeting given or better. So if someone said to us, “As salamu alaykum wa rahmatullaah,” we should reply with, “Wa alaykumus salam wa rahmatullah” (and may the peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah) or “Wa alaykumus salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu”.

This is in accordance with the commandment of Allah when He says:

وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّوا بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا أَوْ رُدُّوهَا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَسِيبًا

[Quran 4:86]

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.

So greet every Muslim you meet with salaam even if you don’t know them personally and spread the love in our Ummah (nation).

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Conjugations of Salaam (سَلام) found in the Quran

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Discover More Quranic Arabic Words

We hope this has given you a deeper understanding of the word سَلام and how its used in the Quran.

If you want to further deepen your connection with the Quran, check out our Arabic Unlocked App to discover a fun, easy, and effective way to learn new Arabic vocabulary.

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