Is it wajib to reply to the salaam of a non mahram (of the opposite gender)?

As salaamu ’alaykum,

if a non mahrem says salam is it wajib to say walaikum salam?

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما

Wa ‘alaykum as salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh,

Generally, conversation between opposite non-mahram genders is discouraged in Islam. A person should only engage in conversation with the opposite gender when there is a need. Exchanging salams would also fall under this general rule. In case of need, one may begin the conversation with salam and the other may reply to the salam as well.  The opposite is also true, when there is no need present for conversation, it will not be considered wajib to respond audibly to a salam from a non mahram. Rather, in this case salam should be said silently without making it audible to the other person.

والله اعلم

And Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala knows best.

Yousuf Ahmed

Approved by Mufti Husain Ahmad Madani