How should Muslims be greeted

realitykeeper · 22-09-2015 8:15pm #1

I am not a Muslim but I would like to learn a few basic Islamic greetings that will be understood by all Muslims. I know many of these greetings are in Arabic but would a Muslim from Pakistan or Indonesia understand if I used it?

Also, apart from the common everyday greetings, are there simple greetings that should be used during certain times of the year, i.e. special days or seasons. For simplicity/memory reasons please let me know only the very shortest greetings. * Also, please put the phonetic pronunciation under each word/phrase for an English language speaker.

Is Ramadan at the same time every year or does it change? Do Muslims use the Roman calendar for everyday use or do they refer to an Islamic calendar. If so, what year is this?

Anything else Irish people should know to make a Muslim feel welcome/happy/comforted would be very much appreciated.

Tom Dunne · 25-09-2015 7:04am

That's a particularly odd question.

How would you greet a Christian? You know, one from Europe, Africa, or South America, or the Philippines.

Is Ramadan at the same time every year or does it change? Do Muslims use the Roman calendar for everyday use or do they refer to an Islamic calendar. If so, what year is this?

I can't help but feel you know the answer to that already.

No, Ramadan is not at the same time every year, it is based on the lunar calendar, so gets earlier by approximately 11 days each year.

And yes, while there is an Islamic calendar, for general day-to-day use the Gregorian calendar is used. In the Islamic calendar, it is year 1436 according to Google.

Palmach · 30-09-2015 12:35pm

realitykeeper wrote: »

I am not a Muslim but I would like to learn a few basic Islamic greetings that will be understood by all Muslims. I know many of these greetings are in Arabic but would a Muslim from Pakistan or Indonesia understand if I used it?

Also, apart from the common everyday greetings, are there simple greetings that should be used during certain times of the year, i.e. special days or seasons. For simplicity/memory reasons please let me know only the very shortest greetings..

I usually say hello. Works everytime.

biko · 30-09-2015 12:40pm

A simple "Salam Alaikum" always works I have found. Or just "Hello" as said above.
They will respond as they find suitable (or maybe ask you how you would like to be greeted).

Carlos Orange · 30-09-2015 1:16pm

Tom Dunne wrote: »

That's a particularly odd question.

How would you greet a Christian? You know, one from Europe, Africa, or South America, or the Philippines.

How would you even tell if someone was a Christian? Most people I know I don't have much of a clue as to their religious beliefs.

biko · 30-09-2015 1:19pm

realitykeeper wrote: »

Is Ramadan at the same time every year or does it change?

It varies a bit, more info on www.ramadanmonth.com

Tom Dunne · 30-09-2015 1:59pm

psinno wrote: »

How would you even tell if someone was a Christian? Most people I know I don't have much of a clue as to their religious beliefs.

Exactly. So how would you know a person is a Muslim?

Donkey Oaty · 07-10-2015 7:50pm

Maybe it's not so simple after all.

http://www.virtualmosque.com/islam-studies/rules-of-greeting-non-muslims-in-islam-saying-salaamreplying-salaam-bynurideen-lemu-an-nigeri/

Might be best just to nod and grunt?

Tom Dunne · 08-10-2015 4:21am

Seriously people, as a somebody who has lived and worked among Muslims the past seven years, it's really not a big deal.

Say hello. Say Salaam Alikum. Say hi. Say whatever you like. Just afford them the same courtesy you would any other human being.

I really don't see the issue here.

Frank Grimes · 08-10-2015 9:01am

Donkey Oaty wrote: »

Maybe it's not so simple after all.

It is, they aren't aliens. Hi/hello/salaam/as salaam aylukum/hello in whatever language they speak if it isn't salaam all work with any Muslims I've ever met, here and in various Muslim countries.

Might be best just to nod and grunt?

That wouldn't be very polite.

katydid · 10-10-2015 12:07am

realitykeeper wrote: »

I am not a Muslim but I would like to learn a few basic Islamic greetings that will be understood by all Muslims.

.

Could you not just say "hello", like you'd say to anyone else? Why would you single out a Muslim and greet them differently?

Donkey Oaty · 10-10-2015 7:26pm

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Seriously people, as a somebody who has lived and worked among Muslims the past seven years, it's really not a big deal.

As someone who has lived and worked among Muslims for considerably longer than seven years, I'm inclined to say that your experience is probably fairly typical of someone who has lived and worked among Muslims for the past seven years.

Time for me to go, and I wish you all well with this discussion forum.

cnoc · 10-10-2015 7:28pm

realitykeeper wrote: »

I am not a Muslim but I would like to learn a few basic Islamic greetings that will be understood by all Muslims. I know many of these greetings are in Arabic but would a Muslim from Pakistan or Indonesia understand if I used it?

Also, apart from the common everyday greetings, are there simple greetings that should be used during certain times of the year, i.e. special days or seasons. For simplicity/memory reasons please let me know only the very shortest greetings. * Also, please put the phonetic pronunciation under each word/phrase for an English language speaker.

Is Ramadan at the same time every year or does it change? Do Muslims use the Roman calendar for everyday use or do they refer to an Islamic calendar. If so, what year is this?

Anything else Irish people should know to make a Muslim feel welcome/happy/comforted would be very much appreciated.

How do Muslims greet Christians in their (Muslim) countries?

How should Muslims be greeted

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