O Allah, You Are Al-Salaam اللهم أنت السلام

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Allah is Al-Salaam. He has made this word beloved to us. He called our religion Islam, the thing that brings about Salaama. Salaama is pure well-being. This is the greeting that He has chosen for this religion.

All of us say to each other Assalaamu alaykum (May well being be yours). This is a prayer for well being which is superior prayer to the other greetings like Hayyak Allah (May Allah give you life). Life without well-being is punishment. Life with well-being is life.

Assalaamu alaykum is the prayer that we pray for each other and also as declaration that we made to each other through which we declare, "I bid you no harm, I wish the good for you, you have peace with regards to me, you will not receive any evil from me, you are safe from me."

So when you meet someone and he says Assalaamu alaykum, know that he is declaring that you are in peace with regard to him and he is wishing only well being to you. So you respond by saying, wa alaykumussalaam (and upon you be peace), or better, wa alaykum salaam warahmatullah (and upon you be the peace and mercy of Allah), or wa alaykumussalaam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh (and upon you be the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah).

When meeting a stranger for the first time, one can figure out if this stranger is a foe or a friend. That's why the ulama' said if somebody coming on a winding road on a horse and if he sees someone walking ahead of him, it is obligatory for him (the one on the horse) to say Assalaamu alaykum.

In Islamic law, it is not obligatory to start a Salaam but obligatory to answer the Salaam. It is a greeting of prayer and an announcement of brotherhood. Allah says this greeting of Assalaamu alaykum is a greeting from Allah full of blessings and very pure and goodly. So we thank Allah for the blessing of the Salaam and we initiate Salaam.

وَإِذَا جَآءَكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا فَقُلۡ سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ‌ۖ كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمۡ عَلَىٰ نَفۡسِهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَةَ‌ۖ أَنَّهُ ۥ مَنۡ عَمِلَ مِنكُمۡ سُوٓءَۢا بِجَهَـٰلَةٍ۬ ثُمَّ تَابَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ وَأَصۡلَحَ فَأَنَّهُ ۥ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬

When those who believe in Our Signs come to you, say: "Salaamun 'Alaikum" (peace be on you); your Lord has written (prescribed) Mercy for Himself, so that, if any of you does evil in ignorance, and thereafter repents and does righteous good deeds (by obeying Allah), then surely, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." Qur'an, Al-Anaam 6:54

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love each other. Shall I guide you to something if you did it you will love each other?" ... "Spread the Salaam among yourselves."

Paradise is called Dar us Salaam. It is free of all grief, death, worries, tensions, fatigues, enmities, hatred, and it is a place of safety.

وَٱللَّهُ يَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ دَارِ ٱلسَّلَٰمِ وَيَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ

"But Allah do call to the Home of Peace: He does guide whom He pleases to a way that is straight." Qur'an, Yunus 10:21

In Paradise, it is the greeting of the angels and of them to each other.

The dwellers of Paradise will be greeted with salaam, by Allah, by the angels and by each other. They hear "Peace! Peace!"

إِلَّا قِيلًۭا سَلَٰمًۭا سَلَٰمًۭا

"Only the saying,'Peace! Peace'". Qur'an, 56:26

The "Peace of Allah" is an atmosphere which sums up Heaven even better than "Bliss".

Allah gives Salaam to His slaves in Paradise.

سَلَٰمٌۭ قَوْلًۭا مِّن رَّبٍّۢ رَّحِيمٍۢ

"Peace! - a Word (of salutation) from a Lord Most Merciful!" Qur'an, Ya-Sin 36:58

The words sums up the attainment of the final Goal. For it explains the nature of the most High-He is not only a Lord and Cherisher, but a Lord Whose supreme glory is Mercy, Peace, and Harmony!

The slaves will receive the highest rooms in Paradise because of their patience and they get salaam from Allah. This is why we see some people who are suffering a great deal but they are calm and patient, because of this peace and tranquility inside that Allah blesses them with.

أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ يُجۡزَوۡنَ ٱلۡغُرۡفَةَ بِمَا صَبَرُواْ وَيُلَقَّوۡنَ فِيهَا تَحِيَّةً۬ وَسَلَـٰمًا

"Those will be rewarded with the highest place (in Paradise) because of their patience. Therein they shall be met with greetings and the word of peace and respect." Qur'an, Al-Furqan 25:75

وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَىٰ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَىٰ

"Peace and security be upon the one who follows the guidance" Qur'an, 20:49
Guidance is not just believing, but it is to follow the guidance and do the actions.

Al-Salaam is the Possessor of Salaam. He is the one who give Salaama to the slaves. We would not be living right now if He doesn't give us well being, if He doesn't protect us from the danger of the elements and the danger within ourselves, the chemical factories inside our bodies. He is protecting us from the harm of that and give the good of that.

Our connection with Al-Salaam is turning to Allah in everything and surrendering to Him with everything. There is is nothing that you are free from needing Him.

Our realization of this Name is that people are safe from and with us. It is to have a wholesome heart, the heart that doesn't have hatred and grudges against others, but there is peace, and a sound heart, the heart that is free of diseases such as rancor, envy, arrogance, pride and other blameworthy traits, perpetually until we meet Allah.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The Muslim is the one other Muslims are in a state of Salaama with regards to his tongue and his hands."

A true Muslim is other Muslims are safe. Other Muslims are in well being and they have nothing to fear from his tongue and his hands. If he cannot do that much then he does not get the least meaning of Salaama.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, "Who is the righteous person?" He replied, "He is the one who doesn't conceal evil and doesn't harm even an ant."

A man was seen backbiting. He was asked, "Did you fight against the Romans this year?" He answered, "No." Then he was asked, "Did you fight the Turks or Indians?" He replied, " No." "How come your enemies of the believers are safe from you, and your Muslim brother is not safe from you?"

When we say Assalaamu alaykum warahmatullah at the end of prayer, it is a complete spread of well being--Peace to the right (to the angels and people); peace to the left (to the angels and people).

اللهم أنت السلام ومنك السلام تباركت يا ذا الجلال والإكرام‏

Allahumma anta Al-Salam wa minka Al-Salaam. Tabarakta ya Dha Al-Jalali wa Al-Ikram

‘O Allah, You are Al-Salaam and from You is all peace, blessed are You, O Possessor of Majesty and Honor.’

We should make this du'a after prayer (along with استغفر الله Astaghfirullah - I seek Allah's forgiveness.) It is as if we are saying, “O Allah, if my prayer was not proper, if there was anything You did not like, keep me safe from its consequence, protect me from my shortcomings.”

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassaalaam