Adh-Dhariyat 51:25

<h2>The Guests of the Prophet Ibrahim</h2><p>We mentioned this story before in Surah Hud and Al-Hijr. Allah said,</p><div class="arabic uthmani">هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ ضَيْفِ إِبْرَهِيمَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ </div><p>(Has the story reached you, of the honored guests of Ibrahim), whom Ibrahim honored and who,</p><div class="arabic uthmani">قَالُواْ سَلَـماً قَالَ سَلَـمٌ</div><p>(they said: "Salaman!" He answered: "Salamun.")</p><div class="arabic uthmani">وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّواْ بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَآ أَوْ رُدُّوهَآ</div><p>(When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or return it equally.)(4:86) So the Friend of Allah chose a better reply in return for their greeting, implementing Allah's command: Reciprocating the greeting with the term Salamun is stronger than the greeting using the term Salaman. The three angels; Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil came to Ibrahim in the image of handsome young wonderfully graceful men. This is why Ibrahim said,</p><div class="arabic uthmani">قَوْمٌ مُّنكَرُونَ</div><p>(You are a people unknown to me.) Allah the Exalted said,</p><div class="arabic uthmani">فَرَاغَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ</div><p>(Then he turned to his household,) Ibrahim discretely went inside in haste,</p><div class="arabic uthmani">فَجَآءَ بِعِجْلٍ سَمِينٍ</div><p>(and brought out a roasted calf.) from the best of his menu, And in another Ayah</p><div class="arabic uthmani">فَمَا لَبِثَ أَن جَآءَ بِعِجْلٍ حَنِيذٍ</div><p>(And he hastened to entertain them with a roasted calf.) (11:69) means …

When they came in unto him and said: Peace! he answered, Peace! (and thought): Folk unknown (to me).

Behold, they entered his presence, and said: "Peace!" He said, "Peace!" (and thought, "These seem) unusual people."

When they came in to him, and said, "Salam, (peace be upon you)!" He answered; "Salam, (peace be upon you)," and said: "You are a people unknown to me,"

When they entered upon him, they said, “Peace.” He said, “Peace, strangers.”