(4) باب النَّهْىِ عَنِ ابْتِدَاءِ، أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ بِالسَّلاَمِ وَكَيْفَ يَرُدُّ عَلَيْهِمْ
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Suhail with the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording. The hadith transmitted on the authority of Waki', the words are 'When you meet the Jews." And in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Shu'ba, the words are:
'When you meet the People of the Book." And in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Jarir the words are:" When you meet them," but none amongst the polytheists has been mentioned explicitly by name.
Reference: Sahih Muslim 2167 b
In-book reference: Book 39, Hadith 17
USC-MSA web (English) reference(deprecated numbering scheme): Book 26, Hadith 5390