The Arabic greeting “As-Salam-Alaikum,” which means “Peace be unto you,” was the traditional salutation among members of the Nation of Islam. The greeting was used consistently whenever and wherever Muslims gathered and engaged, whether socially or in prayer or other settings. The usual answer was “Wa-Alaikum-Salam,” which means “And peace to you.”
At the start and finish of lectures and sermons, Muslim preachers and audiences exchanged salutations. The greeting, which was common in the Arab world, was one of the few linguistic customs of Eastern or “orthodox” Islam that the Nation preserved in its original, Arabic form. The Muslim practice of greeting fellow Muslims and others with “As-Salam-Alaikum” matched the popular Black culture habit of exchanging vibrant and emotive salutations such as “What’s going on?”
