In sūrah adh-Dhāriyāt, when the group of angels visit Prophet Ebrāhīm ʿalayhis salām. They greet him with the greeting of the Prophets and of the Muslimīn: Salām.
But even then the greeting of Khalīl Allāh, Prophet Ebrāhīm, is more eloquent.
Here’s why:
[When they entered upon him and said, “We greet you with peace.” He answered, “And upon you peace, O people unknown.] adh-Dhāriyāt:25
In the āyah the angels greet Ebrāhīm with: salāman — سلاماً
And Ebrāhīm ʿalayhis salām’s reply is: salāmun — سلامٌ
The difference is this:
The first salām (سلاماً) is صيغة فعل, it is in the form of a verb. And a (فعل) is an action that occurs and then discontinues. Thus, the salām occurs and then discontinues.
Whereas Prophet Ebrāhīm’s salām (سلامٌ) is جملة اسمية, a nominal sentence and thus it is consistent and thus the salām (peace) does not stop or change.
Furthermore, Prophet Ebrāhīm refers to them as Qawmun Munkarūn, a rough translation is ‘O people unknown’. Prophet Ebrāhīm does not suggest that he doesn’t know them, but he describes them as an unfamiliar people — using general terms, so as not to imply that *they* are unknown. Subḥān Allāh. This is what you call etiquettes and humbleness. 🙂
Tiny details give us an insight into the perfection of the Qur`ān; if only one would stop and ponder.
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