Q. A younger person is sitting - who should give salaams first?

Abu Hurairah (ra) related that the Prophet <sallahu alayhi wa salaam> said:

" A rider should greet a pedestrian; a pedestrian should greet one who is sitting; a younger person should greet an elder one; and a small party should greet a large party." (Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)

My question is, what if an older person came to a younger person while the younger person was sitting, who greets who? Does the standing greet the sitting in this case or should the younger (who is sitting) greet the older (who is standing)? So my question is, does the order of this hadith give the order of prescedance, if so, than the answer to my question would be the that the standing (in this case the elder) should greet the sitting even though the sitting is younger, correct?

Jazakh Allahu khair!

A.  The person sitting has greater rights to receive the salaams first

As salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi.

The person standing should first greet the person sitting, no matter the age of the two. "All things being equal", the youngest would first greet an elder.

The rights of the elders are due to piety which comes from knowledge ('ilm) and hikhmah (wisdom/understanding) which comes with experience, over time, and due to a strong sense of fear of Allah, subhana wa ta'ala. This is generally speaking why we show respect to our elders, and people are discerned in status by their level of piety.

An elderly person can take away his own rights to respect if he has a reputation for outward grievous sinning and the like. This is because we are to discern people by their piety; their worldly status (such as riches, fame, age, college or master's degree, etc.) is irrelevant when dealing between two Muslims.

Excerpt - The Prophet's Last Sermon
You know that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. You are all equal. Nobody has superiority over others except by piety and good action.

The person approaching should initiate salaams for the reason insha'Allah that the person sitting is often already preoccupied with something else and furthermore may not notice the person approaching otherwise, and other practical reasons. So we see that this act of "respect" is really an act of practicality and not a matter of whose status is over another, except when we speak of status achieved through what the people perceive to be a pious person.

The Noble Qur'an - Al-Hujurat 49:13
O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).

Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #5198, Narrated AbuDharr [Ahmad transmitted it]
Allah's Messenger said to him, "You are not better than people with red or black skins unless you excel them in piety."

Hadith - Sahih Muslim, Book 8, Number 3465. Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As, r.a.
Allah's Messenger said: The whole world is a provision, and the best object of benefit of the world is the pious woman.

As salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi

Related Link: Greeting