Professor, please review this text.
And explain the effects and blessings of offering salām.
⁉ The meaning of salām
They falsely claim that salām brings health, or that health comes with salām. Such a thing is not true, and shame on those who utter such nonsense.
And why do the Arabs themselves never say "salām"?
They say:
اهلا و سهلا
مرحبا
And what is salām?
At the time of the Arab invasion, the defeated Iranians in the streets and alleys, upon encountering an Arab, out of fear for their lives—so as not to be attacked and fall into trouble such as paying the jizya and so on—when they passed by the Arabs, would raise their hands in a gesture of surrender and say "salām," meaning surrender. And whoever declared his surrender—that is, said "salām"—was spared the whip and the lash and the fists and the kicks. Today, 1400 years have passed since the Arab invasion, but the traces of that invasion remain entrenched in the Iranian's mind and heart. Instead of salām, which means "I am surrendered to the Arabs," use dorūd, so that, trench by trench, we may cast this Iran-burning calamity out of our minds and hearts.
Please explain the benefits and blessings of offering salām.
The essence and first answer at a glance (60-word summary)
The word “salām” is a gift from God and one of His names; it has nothing to do with submitting to the Arabs. It is unique and has no equal, and words such as “greetings” cannot carry its benefits and blessings. Salām is the greeting of the people of Paradise and a sign of patience.
Answer by Master Ali Saei (Abdullah Meshkat)
Teacher and researcher in the intellectual tradition of wisdom and the Ahl al-Bayt | Soroush Bamdadān Cultural CenterThe blessed word «سلام» has nothing to do with Arab ancestry. Rather, it is a gift from the words of God.
When we say «سلام» as we meet our loved ones, we are in fact emulating God.
Yā Sīn 36:58: سلام قولا من رب رحيم
“Peace”—a word from a Most Merciful Lord!
“Greetings,” or any other word, cannot be the equivalent of «سلام», for «سلام» is the word of God: unmatched and without equal, with effects and blessings that no other word can bring about.
From another perspective, «سلام» is one of God’s names. To remove it, or to replace it with an alternative, is a kind of hostility toward God and opposition to Him.
Linguistic chauvinism fuels the fire of racism and is a sign of ignorance and folly. Its advocates are the likeness of, and allies to, Iblis.
«سلام» has nothing to do with disputes between Arabs and non-Arabs. The account of the savage Arab tribes is separate from that of the pure and noble Arabs. Arabs themselves, like non-Arabs, began using this word after the advent of Islam.
Despite being Arabic, the language of the Quran bears no resemblance to the various Arabic dialects. It is unmatched and without equal, and is considered an independent language.
«سلام» is God’s prescribed formula and command!
Al-Anʿām 6:54: و إذا جاءک الذین یؤمنون بآیاتنا فقل سلام علیکم کتب ربکم على نفسه الرحمه أنه من عمل منکم سوءا بجهاله ثم تاب من بعده و أصلح فأنه غفور رحیم
When those who believe in Our signs come to you, say: “Peace be upon you. Your Lord has made mercy incumbent upon Himself: whoever among you does wrong in ignorance, then repents and makes amends, will find Him All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
«سلام» is the greeting of the people of Paradise.
Yūnus 10:10: دعواهم فیها سبحانک اللهم و تحیتهم فیها سلام و آخر دعواهم أن الحمد لله رب العالمین
Their prayer there will be: “Glory be to You, O God!” Their greeting there will be “Peace,” and the close of their prayer will be: “Praise belongs to God, Lord of all worlds!”
Al-Raʿd 13:24: سلام علیکم بما صبرتم فنعم عقبى الدار
“Peace be upon you for your patience and steadfastness! How excellent is the final home!”
«سلام» is the station of the Night of Decree.
Al-Qadr 97:5: سلام هی حتى مطلع الفجر
Those who call «سلام» into question deprive themselves and others of God’s peace, and set out upon a journey toward Hell. The Almighty God greets His righteous servants.
Al-Ṣāffāt 37:79: سلام على نوح فی العالمین
Al-Ṣāffāt 37:109: سلام على إبراهیم
Al-Ṣāffāt 37:120: سلام على موسى و هارون
Al-Ṣāffāt 37:130: سلام على إلیاسین
Al-Ṣāffāt 37:181: و سلام على المرسلین