Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
bukhari:1216ʿAbdullāh b. Abū Shaybah > Ibn Fuḍayl > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm > ʿAlqamah > ʿAbdullāh

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)."  

البخاري:١٢١٦حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ فُضَيْلٍ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ

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


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, Aḥmad, Ṭabarānī, Nasāʾī's Kubrá
bukhari:1199Ibn Numayr > Ibn Fuḍayl > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm > ʿAlqamah > ʿAbdullāh

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)."  

البخاري:١١٩٩حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ فُضَيْلٍ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ؓ قَالَ

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  

muslim:538aAbū Bakr b. Abū Shaybah And Zuhayr b. Ḥarb And Ibn Numayr Waʾabū Saʿīd al-Ashaj Waʾalfāẓuhum Mutaqāribah > Ibn Fuḍayl > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm > ʿAlqamah > ʿAbdullāh

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.  

مسلم:٥٣٨aحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ وَابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ وَأَبُو سَعِيدٍ الأَشَجُّ وَأَلْفَاظُهُمْ مُتَقَارِبَةٌ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ فُضَيْلٍ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ

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  

abudawud:923Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh b. Numayr > Ibn Fuḍayl > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm > ʿAlqamah > ʿAbdullāh

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.  

أبو داود:٩٢٣حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ فُضَيْلٍ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ

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  

ahmad:15166Isḥāq b. ʿĪsá > Ḥammād / Ibn Zayd > Kathīr b. Shinẓīr > ʿAṭāʾ b. Abū Rabāḥ > Jābir b. ʿAbdullāh

[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ sent me on an errand. When I returned, I greeted him, but he did not respond. When he finished, I said, "O Messenger of Allah, I greeted you but you did not respond." He said, "I was praying while facing a direction other than the qiblah."  

أحمد:١٥١٦٦حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عِيسَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ يَعْنِي ابْنَ زَيْدٍ عَنْ كَثِيرِ بْنِ شِنْظِيرٍ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ قَالَ

بَعَثَنِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فِي حَاجَةٍ فَلَمَّا رَجَعْتُ سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيَّ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْكَ فَلَمْ تَرُدَّ عَلَيَّ؟ قَالَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي وَهُوَ عَلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ مُتَوَجِّهًا لِغَيْرِ الْقِبْلَةِ  

ahmad:3563Muḥammad b. Fuḍayl > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm > ʿAlqamah > ʿAbdullāh

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)  

أحمد:٣٥٦٣حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُضَيْلٍ حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ قَالَ

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  

ahmad:3884ʿAbd al-Razzāq > Sufyān > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm

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)   

أحمد:٣٨٨٤حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ قَالَ

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

tabarani:10126ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Salm al-Rāzī > Sahl b. ʿUthmān > Muḥammad b. Fuḍayl > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm > ʿAlqamah > ʿAbdullāh

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)  

الطبراني:١٠١٢٦حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَلْمٍ الرَّازِيُّ ثنا سَهْلُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُضَيْلٍ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ قَالَ

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»  

tabarani:10129Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥaḍramī > Saʿīd b. ʿAmr al-Ashʿathī > ʿAbthar b. al-Qāsim > Muṭarrif > Abū al-Jahm > al-Raḍrāḍ > ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd

[Machine] 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."  

الطبراني:١٠١٢٩حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَضْرَمِيُّ ثنا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الْأَشْعَثِيُّ ثنا عَبْثَرُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ عَنْ مُطَرِّفٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْجَهْمِ عَنِ الرَّضْرَاضِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ ؓ قَالَ

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»  

nasai-kubra:545Ḥumayd b. Masʿadah > Bishr > Shuʿbah > Sulaymān > Ibrāhīm > ʿAbdullāh

[Machine] 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."  

الكبرى للنسائي:٥٤٥أَخْبَرَنَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ مَسْعَدَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ قَالَ

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