QUESTION:

What do the scholars and muftis of the noble Shari’ah say regarding the following matter; should salām be given to the one who is eating?

Questioner: Shar̄iq from England

ANSWER:

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب

If someone is eating and has a morsel of food in his mouth, then salām should not be given to him as it is makrūh to give salām to someone who is unable to reply. An individual cannot reply to salām when he has food present in his mouth. There is no harm in in giving salām before or after eating i.e. when one has just seated himself to eat or when he has finished eating. He may give salām at these times as the replier will be able to respond with ease.

“يُكْرَهُ عَلَى عَاجِزٍ عَنْ الرَّدِّ حَقِيقَةً كَآكِلٍ ظَاهِرُهُ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ مَخْصُوصٌ بِحَالِ وَضْعِ اللُّقْمَةِ فِي الْفَمِ وَالْمَضْغِ وَأَمَّا قَبْلُ وَبَعْدُ فَلَا يُكْرَهُ لِعَدَمِ الْعَجْزِ”

It is makrūh to give salām to the one who is unable to reply. From this, it is evident that this occurs when a morsel of food is present in the mouth and one is chewing. There is no harm in giving salām before or after as he will be able to respond. [al-Durr al-Mukhtār wa Radd al-Muhtār]

(”درمختار مع ردالمحتار”،کتاب الحظر والإباحۃ، فصل في البیع،ج۹،ص۶۸۵)

واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری

Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by Dawud Hanif

Read the original answer in Urdu here – [Q-ID0465] Is there any harm in giving Salam to the one who is eating?