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Text and translation
English translation
1602. Abū Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: "Do not precede the Jews and the Christians with the Salām. And if one of you meets one of them in the path, then force him to its narrow portion." (Ṣaḥīḥ)
[He said:] There are narrations on this topic from Ibn 'Umar, Anas, and Abū Baṣrah Al-Ghifārī the Companion of the Prophet ﷺ.
[Abū 'Eisā said:] This Hadīth is Hasan Ṣaḥīḥ. And regarding the meaning of this Hadīth: "Do not precede the Jews and the Christians": Some of the people of knowledge said that it only means that it is disliked because it would be honoring them, and the Muslims were only ordered to humiliate them. For this reason, when one of them is met on the path, then the path is not yielded for him, because doing so would amount to honoring them.
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Commentary
In normal conditions when Muslims are in power and they are not living as a minority, and they are not under any compulsion or subjugation, it is an order for Muslims that they should not give such leeway to the non-Muslims and they should not greet them first nor yield the way for them. Some of the people of knowledge said that it only means that it is disliked because it would amount to honoring them, and the Muslims were only to humiliate them. For this reason, when one of them is met on the path a Muslim is not to yield for him because doing so would amount to honoring them. In a country where Muslims are living as a minority, they are allowed to give such leeway to non-Muslim rulers for the greater interest of the Muslim community. (Tuhfat Al-Ahwadhi v.2. p.397.)
