What means the hand gesture in the Arabic salute "salaam"?

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I know that "salaam" means "peace", and the salute is a form of showing respect for the one receiveing it. But I want to know a little more... As a kid, I remember seeing in an Omar Sharif movie this splendid Arabic salute. Traveling the world, I've met people saluting in the (so to speak) "traditional Salaam manner", by accompanying a low bow with a hand touching the forehead. The thing is, as I remember (from that movie), while performing the bow, the hand was touching the chest, the mouth and only then the forehead. What is the significance of these "touching points" in this salute, and which one is the real one: the simple one, or the complex one?

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Interesting question.

I looked around under "hand gestures" but all I could really come up with is:

Quote:

Many different gestures are used throughout the world as simple greetings. In "Western" cultures, the handshake is very common, though it has numerous subtle variations of grip strength, amount of "pumping" involved, and use of the left hand.

In Japanese and Korean cultures, a simple bow from the waist (rei in Japanese, panbae in Korean) is used, with many regional variations seen. The Japanese keep the palms of their hands touching the fronts of the thighs, but Koreans hold their hands in hapjang (or hap-ch'ang): palms pressed together and fingers near vertical, a position similar to that usually associated with Christian prayer. This gesture is not found in Chinese societies in daily life, and a slight bow is used only in paying respects to the dead.

The Arabic term salaam, literally "peace" from the spoken greeting that accompanies the gesture, refers to a low bow performed while placing the right palm on the forehead. Some cultures use hugs and kisses even between two men, but those gestures show an existing degree of intimacy and are not used between total strangers. All of these gestures are being supplemented or completely displaced by the handshake in areas with large amounts of business contact with the West.

These bows indicate respect and acknowledgement of social rank, but do not necessarily imply obeisance.

http://www.indopedia.org/Salute.html

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I thought the order were reversed, and meant, "my mind, my breath, my heart".

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Gracias, Boomy. I only get bits and pieces of information, so few people know about the "extended version" of this salute... But I'll find out the whole meaning, and I'll share it on a topic... someday soon.

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I just saw Sidney Greenstreet use this gesture on entering Rick's cafe, to his Arab-attired doorman. It happens near the beginning of the film. It's done very fast and off-hand, but seem to be the reverse of how Catholics cover the same territory the body immediately upon standing to hear the Gospel read by the priest. The Muslim gesture starts with the heart, moves to the lips, and ends with the forehead. The Catholic gesture is a mini-cross on the forehead, then the lips, then the heart. I imagine the opposite-ness of this must have some historical reason, such as one-upsmanship in the "Holy Land".

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@musings2,

For Catholics the gesture of making the small crosses on the forehead, the lips and the heart is the physical part of the prayer: "The Lord be in my mind, on my lips, and in my heart."

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The "Grand Salami" is entirely different, of course. The left hand smacks the right biceps, causing the forearm and clenched to bend upwards. It is considered a rude gesture, for some reason.

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I was always taught the three touched mean: my mind thinks well of you, my lips speak well of you, and you are always in my heart.

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@Macoyote,

Whether or not that's true I'd like to think it is, it sounds like something everyone should greet & be greeted with. If I weren't an old Caucasian male living in Canada, I'd most likely be referred to a clinic if I did, I'd start doing it now.

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@Never Mind,

I know that “salaam” means “peace”, and the salute is a form of showing respect for the one receiveing it. But I want to know a little more… As a kid, I remember seeing in an Omar Sharif movie this splendid Arabic salute. Traveling the world, I’ve met people saluting in the (so to speak) “traditional Salaam manner”, by accompanying a low bow with a hand touching the forehead. The thing is, as I remember (from that movie), while performing the bow, the hand was touching the chest, the mouth and only then the forehead.

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@Freetraveltips,

I am no expert, but I understand that "salam allaikum" means, generally, "peace be with you". The basic meaning of the hand path is: "FROM my heart TO my lips and my thoughts" which is similar to Christian, but in absolutely different contexts, which explains the difference in direction. The "salam" is a respectful salutation to a person before you, meaning that you intend to act, talk and think according to your heart (truthfully). The Christian (catholic) long cross sign is a sigil: the christian "places" the Cross, closing those "doors", over head, mouth and heart. It is a inward path of consacration, a blessing and it is just used in cerimonial contexts towards his god. It is not a salutation, but a sign of reverence, close to the long bow in which the believer kneel down and touches the floor towards Meca (analogous to the genuflection to the cross or sanctum when entering a church in Christian context).

The salam has an answer that is "alleihem salam" ("and with you, peace"), which MIGHT have the opposite direction in movement (I don't really know), meaning that the listener will take his words to heart.

What I have explained here have good basis, considering islamic culture, which places special value in the words of elders.

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What means the hand gesture in the Arabic salute "salaam"?

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