In the Shia Islamic tradition, initiating a greeting by saying "Assalamu Alaykom" yields 69 blessings. Uttering "wa Alaykom Assalam" in response begets only one. Your net balance of blessings (awarded for all good deeds, subtracted for sins) will decide your fate on the Day of Reckoning. In my early teens Ali, a cousin of my cousin, always insisted on saying the first part of this salutation even