Does Islam Forbid Greeting Non-Muslims? The Qurayzah Expedition Context

The narration commanding Muslims not to initiate greetings with Jews and Christians and to restrict their path appears to advocate rudeness, yet classical sources establish that this directive was issued exclusively during a military expedition against a specific tribe that had violated its peace treaty with the Muslims. The general rule in Islam, as demonstrated by the practice of the Prophet ﷺ and his companions, is to spread peace and kindness universally.

A Military Directive, Not a General Rule

The Prophet ﷺ issued this statement to his companions as they were departing to confront a Jewish tribe that had just violated its peace treaty with the Muslims.The tribe of Banu Qurayzah had violated their peace treaty with the Muslims, prompting the military expedition during which this directive was given. The specificity of this context is critical to understanding the ruling.

Multiple authentic narrations from other companions reinforce this martial context explicitly. The wording of these reports makes clear that the directive was tethered to an imminent military operation.

From these, we can understand that the command to not initiate peaceful greetings and to not accommodate their path was specific to these hostile tribes. In another context, the companions would greet non-Muslims with peace. The Muslims in this case were simply told to continue marching on their way without stopping to accommodate these people.

The Meaning of “Narrowest Path”

Even within this hostile context, it was not permissible for the Muslims to harm these non-Muslims while they walked along the path. Al-Qurtubi clarifies that the directive did not authorize physical harm.

It is not allowed in Islam to harm anyone or anything without a just cause. Letting them take the narrow part of the road was simply a means to avoid honoring them, since at the time their tribe was showing hostility towards the Muslims.

The directive was a withholding of honor, not a license to inflict harm. If we were to honor such people at the time of their wrongdoing, that would only embolden them to commit more crimes. A little harshness in this context is actually an act of love and mercy because it is meant to discourage their bad behavior.

The General Rule — Spreading Peace to All

In general, Islam encourages us to be kind and gentle even to those who are very rude to us, as long as they are not violent against us. The Prophet ﷺ exemplified this when he instructed his wife Aisha to remain kind despite a group of Jews cursing him inside his own home.

The general commands to spread peace apply universally, without distinction between Muslim and non-Muslim. Abdullah ibn Umar narrated the Prophet’s ﷺ answer to what constitutes the best Islam.

Ammar ibn Yasir similarly identified offering peace to the entire world as a pillar of complete faith.

Abu Umamah reported a direct command from the Prophet ﷺ to disseminate peace broadly.

These commands were understood and applied literally by the companions in their daily interactions. ‘Urwah ibn Ruwaym reported that Abu Umamah al-Bahili greeted whomever he would meet among the Muslims and non-Muslim citizens (dhimmi), explaining the layered meaning of the greeting.

‘Urwah ibn Ruwaym reported: I saw Abu Umamah al-Bahili greet with peace whomever he would meet among the Muslims and non-Muslim citizens (dhimmi) and he would say: “This is the greeting for the people of our religion, an assurance of security for the people of our covenant, and the name of Allah that we spread between us.”

Source: al-Tamhid 17/91

Ibn Umar practiced this broadly without restriction.

And Ibn Abdul Barr reported that Ibn Mas’ud, Abu Darda, and Fadalah ibn Ubayd would initiate the greeting of peace with non-Muslim citizens. Ibn Mas’ud once wrote to a man among the people of the Book and he said: Peace be upon you.

Source: al-Tamhid 17/91

Muhammad ibn Ka’b found no objection in the Quran to initiating peace with non-Muslims.

Sufyan added further scriptural evidence from the example of Abraham.

A group of scholars said it is permissible to initiate the greeting of peace with non-Muslims if it serves a beneficial purpose or need, or if he fears he will be harmed by them, or if he has family relations with them, or for another reason for which it is required. This was narrated by Ibrahim al-Nakhi’ and ‘Alqamah.

Source: Zad al-Ma’ad 2/388

And Ibn Hajar writes:

A beneficial purpose would include providing an assurance of security to non-Muslim citizens, maintaining good relations with them, being a good example of Islamic behavior for them, and teaching them about Allah’s beautiful name, As-Salaam.

The Scope of Prohibition and the Obligation to Respond

Some scholars prohibited initiating the greeting of peace with non-Muslims based upon the specific statement of the Prophet ﷺ.

From these narrations and others, we can understand that the prohibition of greeting the Jews and Christians with peace was specific to those tribes who had declared their hostility to the Muslims. If the non-Muslims are fellow citizens in a state of peace with Muslims, then there is no harm in initiating the greeting of peace with them and this prohibition does not apply to them. The prohibition only applies specifically to those groups who are openly hostile to the Muslims.

Regarding responding to the greeting of peace, all Muslim scholars agree that if a Muslim is greeted with peace by anyone, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, then it is an obligation for him to respond with the greeting of peace.

Hasan al-Basri distinguished between the voluntary nature of initiating greetings and the mandatory nature of responding.

Therefore, a Muslim who is greeted with peace by a non-Muslim must respond to his invitation for peace, otherwise he is sinful.