During my Umrah, one of the most beautiful things I noticed was how everyone greeted each other with '𝐀𝐬-𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐮 𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐤𝐮𝐦', even in small moments like 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐭. Such a simple word, yet it reminded me how we all 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲, 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲.

But how often do we underestimate this greeting? We say Salam out of habit, while in Islam it is so much more: 𝐚 𝐝𝐮𝐚, 𝐚 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬.

The Prophet (PBUH) said:

'𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful, It was last year in the summer I had travelled to the United States for the first time. I’ve never been to this part of the world before and I had a lot of preconceptions such as thorough checking and security. So many stories I had heard in the media regarding inquisition of Muslims. Having said that, everything went el hamdulillah very smoothly. So we got out of the plane and I was walking past with my back to a woman. She loudly but politely greeted me and said 'As salaamu alaykum!' I turned around and saw a beautiful black Muslim American sister. Just because of this ‘salam’ I felt much more comfortable and at ease.

In verse 86 of this Surah, it is stated: '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.'

Salaam was not something that I had thought about too deeply before learning about this verse. Growing up in a Muslim household it was just a generalized greeting. However, upon learning about the importance of greeting someone in the same way or better and finally understanding the significance of it (how it is wajib upon us to respond to a salaam), an action that I have recently made sure to implement is being more sincere with my salaams, trying to understand what I

At one point I was an isolated teen living in a rural area with not much Muslim community. I needed brothers. I needed sisters. To this day--over a decade later-- remember another American Muslim I didn't know saying Salam to me at a busy airport. I had no idea who this person was. It was just a casual salam which managed to warm my heart. I felt like I was a part of the ummah at that moment. Never undermine the impact your salam can have in uplifting a lonely individual. Brothers to Brothers, sisters to sisters, or between opposite genders while being modest of course. It can go a *very* long way. You can help ease the pain in the heart of someone who is suffering from loneliness. Let'