Another came to him and said: "Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings." He replied: "And upon you." The man then said: "O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you, so-and-so and so-and-so greeted you, and you returned to them more than you returned to me." He said: "You did not leave us anything. Allah the Exalted says: 'And when you are greeted with a greeting, then greet with one better than it, or return it,' and we returned it."

5727 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashaj narrated to us, 'Abdah ibn Sulayman narrated to us, from Sa'id, from Qatadah regarding His saying: "Then greet with one better than it," he said: Greet with one better than it for the Muslims. It is narrated from 'Ata' and al-Hasan similarly.

5728 - Muhammad ibn Hamal al-Quhanduzi wrote to me, 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-Ghaffar narrated to us, he said: Sufyan—meaning ibn 'Uyaynah—said regarding His saying: "Then greet with one better than it," he said: Do you think this is regarding greetings alone? This is regarding everything. Whoever does you a favor, do him a favor and compensate him, and if you cannot find (the means), then supplicate for him and praise him in front of his brethren.

His saying, the Exalted: "Or return it."

[5729] 'Ali ibn Harb al-Mawsili narrated to us, Humayd ibn 'Abd al-Rahman al-Ru'asi narrated to us, from Hasan ibn Salih, from Simak, from 'Ikrimah, from Ibn 'Abbas, he said: Whoever from the creation of Allah greets you, return the greeting to him, even if he is a Magian (Zoroastrian). That is because Allah says: "And when you are greeted with a greeting, then greet with one better than it, or return it."

5730 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashaj narrated to us, 'Abdah ibn Sulayman narrated to us, from Sa'id, from Qatadah regarding His saying: "Or return it," he said: To the People of the Scripture. And it is narrated from al-Hasan similarly.

5731 - Abu Zur'ah narrated to us, Yahya ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Bukayr narrated to us, 'Abd Allah ibn Lahi'ah narrated to me, 'Ata' ibn Dinar narrated to me, from Sa'id ibn Jubayr regarding His saying: "Or return it," he said: Return it to them as they said to you.

His saying, the Exalted: "Indeed, Allah is ever, over all things, an Accountant (Hasiban)."

[5732] Hajjaj ibn Hamzah narrated to us, Shababah narrated to us, Warqa' narrated to us, from Ibn Abi Najih, from Mujahid regarding His saying: "Indeed, Allah is ever, over all things, an Accountant (Hasiban)," he said: A Guardian (Hafizan).