Grand Ayatollah Shirazi: If Someone Gives Salām to a Group and One Person Responds, the Others Are No Longer Obligated

Grand Ayatollah Shirazi: If Someone Gives Salām to a Group and One Person Responds, the Others Are No Longer Obligated
—————————————–
The daily scholarly session of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Husayni Shirazi was held on Tuesday, the 26th of Jumada al-Awwal 1447.

As in previous sessions, His Eminence answered various jurisprudential questions posed by attendees.

Addressing a question about the ruling on replying to salām directed at a group, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi explained: “In al-‘Urwa al-Wuthqā it is stated that if a person enters a gathering and offers salām, then if the greeting is directed at specific individuals, those specific individuals are obligated to reply. But if the salām is given generally to the entire group, then if even one person responds, the obligation is lifted from the rest. However, if no one responds, then all of them have sinned.”

His Eminence continued: “Thus, in this case the ruling is that of a collective obligation (wājib kifā’ī): if one person fulfills it, the duty is lifted from others; otherwise, everyone is held responsible.”