It is narrated from Abu Waqid Al-Laithi that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was sitting in the mosque and people were with him. Then three men came; two of them came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and one went away. When the two reached the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, they greeted him with salam. One of them found a place in the circle and sat down, and the other sat at the back, and the third had already gone away. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, finished (from the sermon or teaching in which he was engaged), he said: "Shall I not tell you about these three men? One of them came to Allah, so Allah gave him a place. One of them felt shy (to enter the gathering and cause inconvenience to people), so Allah also showed shyness towards him (i.e., bestowed mercy upon him and did not punish him). And one of them turned away, so Allah also turned away from him."

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) heard from Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), a person greeted him with salam, Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) replied to him, then asked about his well-being. He said: I thank Allah. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: That is what I meant.

Tufail bin Abi bin Ka'b used to come to Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) and would go with him to the market early in the morning. Tufail says: When we reached the market, Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) would greet every seller of poor-quality goods, every shopkeeper, every needy person, and everyone he met with salam. One day I came to Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), and he wanted to take me to the market. I said: What will you do by going to the market? You do not stay with the sellers, nor do you inquire about any goods, nor do you bargain with anyone, nor do you sit in the gatherings of the market. Stay here with us, we will talk with you. Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: O man with the big belly (Tufail had a big belly)! We go to the market to give salam; we greet everyone we meet.

It is narrated from Yahya ibn Sa'id that a man greeted Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), saying: "As-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu wal-ghadiyati war-ra'ihat" (Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings and the blessings of the morning and the evening, those that come and those that go). Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) replied: "Wa 'alayka alfa(n)" (And upon you a thousand times that), and he said it in such a way as if he disliked it.

It reached Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, that when a person enters a house which is empty, he should say: "Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah," that is: Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah.