[Q 435] Conveying Salam Becomes Wajib Upon Agreement

QUESTION:

If someone asks someone to say their Salam to another person, what kind of obligation is this on the person that is requested? What if they forget or purposely don’t forward their Salam.
Example: Zayd asks Khalid to say his salam to Khalid’s dad when he sees him.

ANSWER:

If someone tells Zayd to convey his Salam (Roman Urdu: Salam – greeting of peace) to someone else, and Zayd agrees to do so, then conveying the Salam becomes Wajib (Roman Urdu: Wajib – necessary) upon Zayd. If he fails to convey it, he will be sinful.

وَلوْ قالَ لِآخَرَ: أَقْرِئْ فُلَانًا السَّلَامَ يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ ذٰلِكَ… (قَوْلُهُ يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ ذٰلِكَ) لِأَنَّهُ مِنْ إِيْصَالِ الْأَمَانَةِ لِمُسْتَحِقِّهَا، وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ هٰذَا إِذَا رَضِيَ بِتَحَمُّلِهَا تَأَمَّلْ. ثُمَّ رَأَيْتُ فِي شَرْحِ الْمَنَاوِي عَنْ ابْنِ حَجَرٍ التَّحْقِيقَ أَنَّ الرَّسُوْلَ إِنِ الْتَزَمَهُ أَشْبَهَ الْأَمَانَةَ وَإِلَّا فَوَدِيْعَةٌ، اهـ.

(Fatawa Shami, Volume 06, Page 415, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut)

Answered by: Mubashir Attari (AskMufti Scholar)
Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari
Translated answer
Date: 18th July 2025