Slang dictionary
assalamu alaikum
or salaam alaikum
What does assalamu alaikum mean?
Assalamu alaikum literally means “peace be upon you.” It is used as a greeting within Muslim communities.
Where does assalamu alaikum come from?
Assalamu alaikum comes from the Arabic word salaam, which means “peace.” Salaam is derived from the same root that the word Islam comes from. The word alaikum is the word ala, which means “on,” combined with a suffix that changes the meaning into “upon you.”
It is also closely related to the Hebrew phrase shalom aleichem. Shalom aleichem also means “peace be upon you.” The words salaam and shalom are both descended from the same Semitic root also meaning “peace.”
The use of the phrase has its roots in the Quran and the Hadith, holy books in Islam. Muslims are instructed to return greetings courteously in Surah an-Nisa: 86 of the Quran. In the Hadith book Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 74, Number 246, Adam, newly created, greets the angels of Allah with assalamu alaikum.
Examples of assalamu alaikum
Who uses assalamu alaikum?
Muslims of all ethnicities use this word as a way of marking and affirming their faith. The polite response to the phrase is wa alaikum assalam, which means “and upon you be peace.”
A related phrase is alayhi assalam (masculine) or alayha assalam (feminine). This is literally “upon him or her be peace,” but is more commonly translated “peace be upon him or her.” It’s used when referring to prophets in Islam, and when translated into English, is frequently abbreviated aspbuh. But though they’re composed of the same words, alayhi assalam is not used as a greeting, unlike assalamu alaikum, and it’s reserved for prophets.
The question of whether a non-Muslim should greet someone who is Muslim with the salaam, and whether someone who is Muslim should greet a non-Muslim with it, is controversial.
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of assalamu alaikum like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of assalamu alaikum that will help our users expand their word mastery.