In the elevator, on the street, at work... The power of melting ice with a 'Salam Alaykum'.
The word Salam means 'peace, well-being, and safety'. When you say 'Salam Alaykum' to someone, you are actually saying 'May Allah's peace be upon you, no harm will come to you from me, you are safe'. What a tremendous commitment this is! When you greet someone you don't know, those invisible walls come down, hearts warm up. Salam is the most beautiful password of Muslim identity.
Kindness is not just speaking, but sometimes being silent. Are we really listening to the person in front of us, or are we waiting for our turn to answer? Our Prophet would turn his whole body to the person he was speaking to, would not interrupt, and would listen seriously. This is the greatest value given to the interlocutor. If we complain today that 'we are not understood', maybe it's because 'we don't listen'. Being a good listener is harder than being a good orator, but more effective.
"You know that icy silence when you get in the elevator in the morning; everyone looks either at their phone or at the tip of their shoes. Yet saying a 'Good morning' or 'Salam Alaykum' at that moment changes the atmosphere of that little box instantly. Modern life has alienated us from each other, faces have become sullen, greetings have decreased. Our Prophet (PBUH) says, 'You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I tell you something that will make you love one another? Spread salam amongst yourselves'. Come, let's revive this formula of love."
Smiling is sadaqah; that is, a kindness, a donation. It is the most generous spending you can do without money leaving your pocket. Greeting the cashier at the market, the bus driver, the apartment attendant with a smile illuminates their day too. Don't think 'I greeted but he didn't respond'; you do your part, angels receive your greeting. Not laws, but these small seeds of kindness hold society together. Smile at the first person you see when you go out today; let the change begin with you.
