Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Children in the Qur’an and Sunnah Chapter 4: The Child’s Duties Towards Elders and Friends 4.1: Initiating with Greeting 461. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “The younger person should greet the elder, the one passing by should greet the one who is sitting, and a small group should greet the large group.”[^1] 462. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “The nearest person to Allah and His Messenger is he who initiates with greeting.”[^2] 463.
The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “The most obedient of you to Allah is he who initiates greeting his friend.”[^3] 464. Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) said: “Greeting has seventy rewards, sixty nine of which are for he who initiates the greeting and one is for the responder.”[^4] البَدءُ بِالسَّلامِ .461رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: يُسَلِّمُ الصَّغيرُ عَلَى الكَبيرِ، والمَارُّ عَلَى القاعِدِ، وَالقَليلُ عَلَى الكَثيرِ. .462عنه صلى الله عليه وآله: أولَى النّاسِ بِاللهِ وبِرَسولِهِ مَن بَدَأ بِالسَّلامِ.
.463عنه صلى الله عليه وآله: أطوَعُكُم للهِ الذي يَبدَأُ صاحِبَهُ بالسَّلامِ. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام: لِلسّلامِ سَبعونَ حَسَنَةً؛ تِسعٌ وَسِتُّونَ للمُبتَدِئ وواحِدَةٌ للرّادِ. 4.2:Observing Rights 465. Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) said, in his advice to Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyah: “O my child! Do not encroach upon the right of your brother because of what is between you and him, because he whose rights you breach is not your brother.”[^5] 466.
Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) said: “How bad is it for a man, whom his brother recognizes his rights but he does not recognize the rights of his brother.”[^6] رِعايَةُ الحُقوقِ .465الإمام عليّ عليه السلام- في وَصِيَّتِهِ لِابنِهِ مُحَمَّدِ بنِ الحَنَفِيَّةِ- يا بُنَيَّ ... لا تُضَيِّعَنَّ حَقَّ أخيكَ اتِّكالًا عَلَى ما بَينَكَ وبَينَهُ؛ فَإِنَّهُ لَيسَ لَكَ بِأَخٍ مَن أضَعتَ حَقَّهُ. عنه عليه السلام: ما أقبَحَ بِالرَّجُلِ أن يَعرِفَ أخوهُ حَقَّهُ، ولا يَعرِفَ حَقَّ أخيهِ!
An explanation about a child greeting elders Based on the traditions mentioned on the manner of raising children, one of the upbringing methods of the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.) was greeting children. He has explicitly said that by this behaviour he wanted this custom to continue in the society.