If there is no one in the house should he still say salaam?

 

I have heard from many poeple here that when you enter your home you should say SALAAM even if no one is at home (just say it to yourself). Is is right? is so what is the DALEEL for that?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Saying salaam when entering the house is
mustahabb, not obligatory, whether there is anyone in the house or not. 

Abu Dawood (5096) narrated that Abu Maalik
al-Ash’ari said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When a man enters his house, let him say, ‘Allaahumma
inni as’aluka khayr al-mawlaj wa khayr al-makhraj. Bismillaah walajna wa Bismillaah kharajna wa ‘ala Allaahi rabbina tawakalna (O Allaah, I
ask You for the best entering and the best exiting. In the name of Allaah we enter and in the name of Allaah we leave, and in Allaah our Lord we
put our trust),’ then he should say salaam to his family.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 225. 

Al-Tirmidhi (2698) narrated that Anas ibn
Maalik said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to me, ‘O my son, when you enter upon your family and
say salaam, it will be a blessing for you and the members of your household. Al-Albaani said in Takhreej al-Mishkaat (4652): this hadeeth
is hasan when all its isnaads are taken into account. 

These two hadeeth show that it is mustahabb
for a man to greet his family with salaam when he enters his house. 

With regard to it being mustahabb for a man
to say salaam to himself when entering a house where there is no one, the scholars quoted evidence for that. 

1 – The general meaning of the verse
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“But when you enter the houses, greet one
another with a greeting from Allaah (i.e. say: As-Salaamu ‘Alaykum — peace be on you), blessed and good”

[al-Noor 24:61] 

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said
in his book al-Adhkaar (p. 49): 

It is mustahabb to say Bismillaah (in the
name of Allaah) and to remember Allaah a great deal, and to say salaam, whether there is any human being in the house or not, because Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“But when you enter the houses, greet one
another with a greeting from Allaah (i.e. say: As-Salaamu ‘Alaykum — peace be on you), blessed and good”

[al-Noor 24:61] 

Al-Haafiz said: 

It comes under the general meaning of
spreading salaam, and saying salaam to oneself when entering a place where there is no one, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“But when you enter the houses, greet one
another with a greeting from Allaah (i.e. say: As-Salaamu ‘Alaykum — peace be on you)…”

[al-Noor 24:61] 

Some mufassireen – such as Ibn Jareer –
interpreted the aayah as meaning “greet one another” [as in the translation of the meaning quoted here]. This is like the verse in which Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one
another)”

[al-Nisa’ 4:29] 

Al-Qurtubi said: The more correct view is to
say that this is general and applies to everyone who enters a house. If there is a Muslim person in the house he should say “Al-salaamu
‘alaykum wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu (peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allaah, and His blessings).” If there is no one there, he
should say, “Al-salaamu ‘alayna wa ‘ala ‘ibaad-Illaah il-saaliheen (peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allaah).” If there is
someone in the house who is not a Muslim, he should say, “Al-salaam ‘ala man ittaba’a al-huda (peace be upon those who follow true
guidance)” or “Al-salaamu ‘alayna wa ‘ala ‘ibaad-Illaah il-saaliheen (peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allaah).” 

2 – That is narrated from some of the
Sahaabah. 

Al-Bukhaari narrated in al-Adab al-Mufrad
(1055) that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “When you enter an uninhabited house, say “Al-salaamu ‘alayna wa ‘ala
‘ibaad-Illaah il-saaliheen (peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allaah).” 

Al-Haafiz said: Its isnaad is hasan; and it
was classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad, 806. 

Mujaahid said: When you enter the mosque,
say, “Al-salaam ‘ala Rasool-Illaah (Peace be upon the Messenger of Allaah),” and when you enter upon your family, greet them with salaam,
and when you enter a house in which there is no one, say “Al-salaamu ‘alayna wa ‘ala ‘ibaad-Illaah il-saaliheen (peace be upon us and upon
the righteous slaves of Allaah).” 

Tafseer Ibn Katheer,
3/306. 

And Allaah knows best.