We used to greet the Prophet ﷺ while he was praying and he used to answer our greetings. When we returned from An-Najashi (the ruler of Ethiopia), we greeted him, but he did not answer us (during the prayer) and (after finishing the prayer) he said, "In the prayer one is occupied (with a more serious matter)."

كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَيَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ النَّجَاشِيِّ سَلَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْنَا وَقَالَ إِنَّ فِي الصَّلاَةِ شُغْلاً

I used to greet the Prophet ﷺ while he was in prayer and he would return my greeting, but when we returned (from Ethiopia) I greeted the Prophet (while he was praying) but he did not return the greeting, and (after finishing the prayer) he said, "In the prayer one is occupied (with a more serious matter)."

كُنْتُ أُسَلِّمُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَيَرُدُّ عَلَىَّ فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَىَّ وَقَالَ إِنَّ فِي الصَّلاَةِ شُغْلاً

We used to greet the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was engaged in prayer and he would respond to our greeting. But when we returned from the Negus we greeted him and he did not respond to us; so we said: Messenger of Allah. we used to greet you when you were engaged in prayer and you would respond to us. He replied: Prayer demands whole attention.

كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَيَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ النَّجَاشِي سَلَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْنَا فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْكَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَتَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا فَقَالَ إِنَّ فِي الصَّلاَةِ شُغُلاً

We were in the company of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he sent me on an errand, and when I came back (I saw him) saying prayer on his ride and his face was not turned towards Qibla. I greeted him but he did not respond to me. As he completed the prayer, he said: Nothing prevented me from responding to your greeting but the fact that I was praying.

كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَبَعَثَنِي فِي حَاجَةٍ فَرَجَعْتُ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي عَلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ وَوَجْهُهُ عَلَى غَيْرِ الْقِبْلَةِ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَىَّ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قَالَ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَمْنَعْنِي أَنْ أَرُدَّ عَلَيْكَ إِلاَّ أَنِّي كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي

We used to salute the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was engaged in prayer and he would respond to our salutation, but when we returned from the Negas, we saluted him and he did not respond to us. He said : Prayer demands one’s whole attention.

كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَيَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ النَّجَاشِيِّ سَلَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْنَا وَقَالَ إِنَّ فِي الصَّلاَةِ لَشُغْلاً

We used to greet the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was engaged in prayer and he would respond to our greeting. But when we returned from the Negus we greeted him and he did not respond to us; so we said: Messenger of Allah. we used to greet you when you were engaged in prayer and you would respond to us. He replied: Prayer demands whole attention. (Using translation from Muslim 538a)

كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَيَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ النَّجَاشِيِّ سَلَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْنَا فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْكَ فِي الصَّلَاةِفَتَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا؟ فَقَالَ إِنَّ فِيَّ أَوْ فِي الصَّلَاةِ لَشُغْلًا

We used to salute the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was engaged in prayer and he would respond to our salutation, but when we returned from the Negas, we saluted him and he did not respond to us. He said : Prayer demands one’s whole attention. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 923)

عَبْدُ اللهِ كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي الصَّلَاةِ حَتَّى رَجَعْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ النَّجَاشِيِّ فَسَلَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْنَا وَقَالَ إِنَّ فِي الصَّلَاةِ شُغْلًا

[AI] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent me on an errand, so I returned to him while he was on his riding animal. I greeted him, but he did not respond to me. I saw him bowing and prostrating, so I backed away from him. Then he asked me, "What did you do regarding your need?" I replied, "I did such and such." He said to me, "Verily, the only reason why I did not respond to you is because I was in prayer."

بَعَثَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فِي حَاجَةٍ لَهُ فَرَجَعْتُإِلَيْهِ وَهُوَ عَلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيَّ وَرَأَيْتُهُ يَرْكَعُ وَيَسْجُدُ فَتَنَحَّيْتُ عَنْهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي مَا صَنَعْتَ فِي حَاجَتِكَ؟ فَقُلْتُ صَنَعْتُ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَقَالَ أَمَا إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَمْنَعْنِي أَنْ أَرُدَّ عَلَيْكَ إِلَّا أَنِّي كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي

We used to greet the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was engaged in prayer and he would respond to our greeting. But when we returned from the Negus we greeted him and he did not respond to us; so we said: Messenger of Allah. we used to greet you when you were engaged in prayer and you would respond to us. He replied: Prayer demands whole attention. (Using translation from Muslim 538a)

كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَيَرُدَّ عَلَيْنَا فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ النَّجَاشِيِّ سَلَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْنَا فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْكَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَتُرَدَّ عَلَيْنَا قَالَ «إِنَّ فِي الصَّلَاةِ شُغْلًا»

[AI] We used to greet the Prophet ﷺ during prayer, and he would reply to us. But one day, I greeted him and he didn't reply to me. So, I asked him about it, and he said, "Allah ﷻ does as He wishes in His affairs."

كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَيَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا فَلَمَّا كَانَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيَّ فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ «إِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ يُحْدِثُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ مَا شَاءَ»

[AI] We used to greet the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was praying, and he would respond to us. But when we arrived in Habasha (Ethiopia) and returned, we greeted him and he did not respond. So we asked him, and he said, "Indeed, I was preoccupied in prayer."

كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي فَيَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا فَلَمَّا أَتَيْنَا الْحَبَشَ فَرَجَعْنَا فَسَلَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يُرِدَّ فَسَأَلْنَاهُ فَقَالَ «إِنَّ فِي الصَّلَاةِ شُغْلًا»

[AI] The Prophet ﷺ sent him on an errand, so he came while the Prophet ﷺ was praying and greeted him, but he did not respond to him and signaled with his hand. When he finished the prayer, he said, "It was not a hindrance for me to respond to you except that I was praying."

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ بَعَثَهُ إِلَى حَاجَةٍ لَهُ فَجَاءَ وَالنَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُصَلِّي فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْهِ وَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَمْنَعْنِي أَنْ أَرُدَّ عَلَيْكَ إِلَّا أَنِّي كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي