alaikum

Alaikum is an Arabic prepositional phrase meaning “upon you” (plural). It appears most prominently in the greeting Assalamu alaikum, which translates to “Peace be upon you.” The phrase is completed by a following response, commonly Wa alaikum as-salam, meaning “And upon you be peace.”

Usage and context: Alaikum is used as part of a standard Islamic greeting when Muslims meet or part, across diverse cultures and languages. The full greeting, often heard as Assalamu alaykum or Assalamualaikum, is a conventional expression of goodwill and formal politeness. In daily practice, the response Wa alaikum as-salam is expected in return, and extended forms may add phrases such as wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh (“and the mercy and blessings of God”).

Etymology and grammar: The word alaikum combines the preposition ala (upon) with the second-person plural pronoun kum (you), forming a phrase that literally means “upon you.” The greeting as a whole uses the noun as-salam (peace) and the verb form associated with the verb to be in the salutation. The standard transliterations vary slightly, including as-salāmu ʿalaykum and similar spellings.

Variants and related usage: In many communities, longer blessings are used, for example, Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. Beyond Arabic, similar greetings exist in various Muslim-majority cultures, and transliterations such as “Assalamualaikum” or “Assalamualaikum” are common in non-Arabophone regions. Alaikum itself functions as the grammatical tail end of the overall greeting rather than as a standalone phrase in typical usage.