Islamic Query Detail

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 

Assalāmu ῾alaykum wa Rahmatullāhi Wabarakātuh

As the outset, it is important to point out that Shariah has closed all doors leading to contaminating the heart and mind with immorality.

We have our nafs which has a natural instinct of inclination to evil. Furthermore, Shaitaan uses his power of waswasa to incite our nafs to do evil.

While making salam is an expression of courtesy and act of ibadah, Shariah considered the element of the natural attraction to the opposite gender. Shariah does not permit any form of immorality in the guise of practising on Shariah or social courtesy.

Generally, the voice of a woman is soft and has an endearment in it. It could create attraction and excitement in a male.

It is precisely for this reason Allah ordered women to avoid talking in an alluring tone to strange men. Allah says:

{فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَعْرُوفًا} [الأحزاب: 32]

Translation:

(Therefore) do not be too soft in your speech, lest someone having disease in his heart should develop fancies (about you);and do speak with appropriate word.(Ahzaab-32)

The above explanation will assist in making the following ruling easy to understand: A ghair mahram female may make salam with a straight and non-alluring voice [1].

If she is greeted by a ghair mahram, she may reply softly to herself [2].

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best