Parenting Perspective 

Children learn how to greet others far more from observation than from direct instruction. When they see you consistently offering warm and sincere greetings in every situation, they will naturally begin to follow your example. Modelling greetings effectively means adjusting your tone, body language, and choice of words to suit the context, while ensuring the core element of respect remains constant. This teaches your child that good manners are not for special occasions, but are a part of everyday life. 

In Family and Home Settings 

When greeting elders, relatives, or guests in your home, infuse your greeting with genuine warmth. Say ‘Assalamu Alaikum’ with a smile, and accompany it with appropriate gestures like a handshake, a hug, or placing a hand on your chest. When your child observes this, they learn that greetings within the family carry a special warmth and affection. 

In Community and Public Spaces 

Extend your respectful greetings to teachers, neighbours, and service staff in the community. Even a simple salaam offered with clear eye contact and a calm, polite voice demonstrates that respect is not confined to the home. This reinforces the crucial lesson that good manners apply everywhere and to everyone. 

In Formal or Religious Settings 

At formal gatherings, weddings, or in the masjid, your greetings should reflect humility and reverence for the occasion. This can be shown through a calmer voice, gentle posture, and considerate words of respect. When your child watches you lower your tone and behave with modesty in these environments, they learn that while the expression of respect may change with the setting, the sincerity behind it should always remain. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam teaches that the greeting of peace is a hallmark of a strong community and a sign of faith, with its importance remaining constant regardless of the setting. 

A Divine and Recorded Action 

The Quran reminds us that greetings are not merely casual habits; they are significant actions that are recorded and rewarded by Allah, and thus should be given and returned with care. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Nisa (4), Verses 86: 

‘ And when you are greeted with a welcome, then greet them with (a welcome that is) even better than that, or (at least) return it (in the same manner); indeed, Allah (Almighty) is the Final Reckoner over everything.‘ 

The Etiquette of Initiating Greetings 

Prophetic guidance clarifies that while the duty to greet is constant, there is an established etiquette for who should initiate the greeting based on the situation. 

It is recorded in Al Adab Al Mufrad, Hadith 983, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘The one who is riding should greet the one who is walking, and the one who is walking should greet the one who is sitting, and the smaller group should greet the larger group.’ 

By consistently modelling greetings with sincerity across all settings, you teach your child that adab is a living expression of faith. They will grow to understand that greetings are more than social customs; they are acts of worship that bring people together and earn the pleasure of Allah Almighty.