Greeting by waving the hand or nodding the head

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

The Islaamic greeting of saying: “السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته” is from the actions of the tongue (except when you are writing a message or letter to someone). So, one cannot substitute it by merely raising or waving the hand in the air, or nodding the head.

But if the person is at a distance and the voice is not audible, then raising/waiving the hand along with saying “السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته” will be right and In shaa Allaah will not be regarded as imitation.

Narrated `Amr bin Shu`aib from his father, from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝He is not one of us who resembles other than us; do not resemble the Jews or the Christians. For indeed greeting of the Jews is pointing the fingers, and the greeting of the Christians is waving with the hand.❞ [Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2695) and graded as “Hasan li ghairihee” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (2194)]

Imaam al-Nasaa’ee reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝Do not greet with the greetings of the Jews or the Christians, for their greetings is merely with (gesturing with their) hand, (nodding with their) heads, and (pointing with their) fingers.❞ [Sunan al-Kubraa (10100) and the narrators in this chain are all reliable]