FatwaSabahEthics, Remembrance & Supplication
HUKUM MEMBERI SALAM KEPADA ORANG BUKAN ISLAM DAN MENJAWAB SALAM MEREKA
Is it permissible to greet non-Muslims with salam, and how should their greeting be answered?
Short answer
The Sabah Fatwa Council ruled that greeting non-Muslims with the word Assalamualaikum is permissible.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Sabah State Mufti Department
- Date
- Status
- Gazetted
- Series
- Keputusan Fatwa (Warta)
- Topic
- Ethics, Remembrance & Supplication
Gazette evidence in the source: KOTA KINABALU, KHAMIS, 7 DISEMBER 2017 [No. 50
Summary
The Sabah Fatwa Council ruled that greeting non-Muslims with the word Assalamualaikum is permissible. Only Assalamualaikum is allowed, while the addition of warahmatullahi wabarakatuh is reserved for Muslims. Their greeting may be answered with Waalaikumussalam, and with Waalaikum alone if the greeting is unclear or is clear but carries a bad meaning such as an insult.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Hukum memberi salam dengan lafaz Assalamualaikum kepada orang bukan Islam adalah harus.
Read the full fatwa on the Sabah website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Sabah State Mufti Department. “HUKUM MEMBERI SALAM KEPADA ORANG BUKAN ISLAM DAN MENJAWAB SALAM MEREKA”, 7 December 2017. https://mufti.sabah.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Fatwa_Hukum_Memberi_Salam_Kepada_Orang_Bukan_Islam_Dan_Menjawab_Salam_Mereka.pdf. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/greeting-non-muslims-with-salam-ruling/