Noor Garden“Spread Salam” – Hadith for Kids
Love and salam · Ages 5–11
In this hadith the Prophet ﷺ shared a simple secret for making people love each other: spread the greeting of salam. For children, it means saying "As-salamu alaykum" often, to family, friends and other Muslims, with a smile. Greeting each other with peace opens hearts, builds friendships and brings people closer together.
The hadith
أَوَلاَ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِذَا فَعَلْتُمُوهُ تَحَابَبْتُمْ؟ أَفْشُوا السَّلاَمَ بَيْنَكُمْ
(part of a longer hadith)
Shall I tell you something that, if you do it, you will love each other? Spread the greeting of salam among yourselves.
Narrated by: Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Source: Sahih Muslim 54
Grade: Sahih
What it teaches
Saying "As-salamu alaykum" to others spreads love between people.
A little story to help understand it
This is an illustrative example we wrote to explain the meaning. It is not part of the hadith.
When the new family moved in next door, Hamza felt shy. His father said, "Let's try the Prophet's ﷺ secret." The next morning, Hamza waved and said, "As-salamu alaykum!" to the boy next door, whose name was Idris. Idris answered, "Wa alaykum as-salam!" Every day they greeted each other, and soon they were walking to the masjid together and playing football after school. Hamza told his father, "It really works! Salam made us friends." His father smiled and said, "That is why the Prophet ﷺ taught us to spread it."
Try it today
Say "As-salamu alaykum" to everyone in your family today.
Mini quiz
What makes people love each other?
- Spreading salam
- Keeping quiet
- Staying alone
Show the answer
Answer: Spreading salam (A)
Questions parents ask
Is this hadith authentic?
Yes. It is recorded in Sahih Muslim 54. Grade: Sahih. It was narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). The words shown here are part of a longer hadith.
How can kids practice it?
Say "As-salamu alaykum" to everyone in your family today. Greet every family member with salam when you wake up, come home, or enter a room, and see who says it first.
How do you reply to salam?
Reply with "Wa alaykum as-salam", or even better, "Wa alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh". The Quran tells us to answer a greeting with a better one or at least the same (Surah An-Nisa 4:86).
More hadith to learn
Last reviewed: 2026-10-09 · Sources & Method