Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (radi Allahu anhu) was among those noble companions who, in the early days of Islam, sought refuge in Abyssinia (Habasha), and the Negus (Najashi), the king of Abyssinia, received them with great reverence and provided them a place of safety.
It was the very initial period of Islam; at that time, mutual conversation during prayer was permissible. Later, when they returned from Abyssinia, the prohibition of mutual conversation during prayer had already been established.
The meaning of the final statement of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is that in prayer, a person is engaged in the remembrance of Allah the Exalted, and his heart remains attentive there; therefore, this is not an occasion for conversing with people.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In one narration, it is mentioned that when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not respond to our greeting, we said:
O Messenger of Allah! Previously, when we greeted you with salam, you would reply to it. So he said:
“Indeed, there is engagement in the prayer.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Manaqib al-Ansar, Hadith: 3875)
In the narration of Abu Dawud, it is stated:
“Allah, the Exalted, gives a new command whenever He wills.
Now He has given a new command that during prayer, do not speak.”
(Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Salat, Hadith: 924)
(2)
In Musnad Abi Ya’la, it is stated:
“When you are in prayer, remain obedient and do not speak.”
(Musnad Abi Ya’la: 384/3)
It should be noted that Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (radi Allahu anhu) had migrated from Habasha and returned to Madinah.
In the early days of Islam, it was permissible to converse during prayer, and replies to greetings and the like were also given. Eventually, the final command was revealed that during prayer, greeting and conversation were prohibited, and it was instructed to reply to greetings by gesture.

Hadith Commentary:
This hadith has already been mentioned in the Book of Prayer (Kitab al-Salat). Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah has brought it in this chapter because it contains the narration of Ibn Mas'ud radi Allahu anhu returning from Abyssinia (Habash).

Hadith Commentary:
➊
This hadith explicitly states that Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (radi Allahu anhu) returned to Madinah Tayyibah from Habashah (Abyssinia).
He was among those who participated in the second migration (hijrah) to Habashah, and he returned to Madinah Tayyibah at a time when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was engaged in preparations for the Battle of Badr.
Since he learned in Habashah that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had gone to Madinah Tayyibah, he set out for Madinah Tayyibah.
(Fath al-Bari: 7/239)
➋
This hadith mentions responding to salam (greeting of peace) during prayer (salah) in the heart, even though it is also established in hadith to respond by gesture of the hand. Thus, Ibn Umar (radi Allahu anhu) asked Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) how, when people greeted the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) with salam during prayer, he would respond to them. He replied:
He would do like this, and he spread out his hand.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Salat, Hadith: 927)

Fiqh al-Hadith
↰ This hadith is evidence that responding to greetings (salam) verbally during prayer has been abrogated. This does not negate responding to salam with a hand gesture; rather, its permissibility is established by other authentic ahadith.

Hadith Commentary:
There is a difference of opinion among the scholars regarding whether this return of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (radi Allahu anhu) was to Makkah al-Mukarramah or to Madinah al-Munawwarah.
Hafiz has given preference in Fath al-Bari that it was to Madinah al-Munawwarah, as has been mentioned earlier, and when he returned, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was preparing for the Battle of Badr.
This is also supported by the next hadith, which indicates that speaking during prayer was prohibited in Madinah.
This is because Jabir al-Ansari (radi Allahu anhu) was a resident of Madinah.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: (1)
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud radi Allahu anhu returned from Abyssinia to Makkah, and then went to Abyssinia again. After the Prophet’s sallallahu alayhi wa sallam migration, he returned permanently to Madinah. Here, the return to Madinah is intended, because the prohibition of speaking in prayer was revealed in Madinah.

(2) (Inna fi as-salati shughlan)
If the tanween of (shughlan) is for indefiniteness (tankeer), then the meaning will be that there is a kind of preoccupation, i.e., apart from recitation of the Qur’an, glorification (tasbih), praise (tamhid), and saying “Allahu Akbar” (takbir), human speech is not permissible.
And if the tanween is for magnification (ta’zeem), then the meaning will be that there is a very great preoccupation in prayer, that a person is engaged in intimate conversation (munajat) with Allah Ta’ala, therefore it is not possible to pay attention or focus elsewhere, or that a person is absorbed in reflection and contemplation over what he is saying, thus he cannot do anything else.

(3)
According to Imam Malik rahimahullah, Imam Shafi’i rahimahullah, Imam Ahmad rahimahullah, and the hadith scholars, the reply to salam should be given by gesture. According to the Hanafis, even replying by gesture is not permissible; one should reply after completing the prayer and also explain the excuse that he could not reply due to being in prayer. The reason the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam needed to explain the excuse was that they were accustomed to receiving a verbal reply to salam and did not understand the gesture.

923. Commentary:
➊ In prayer, one is engaged in the recitation of the Qur'an, the remembrance of Allah, and supplication; therefore, it is not appropriate to turn one's attention elsewhere except in cases for which a concession has been granted.
➋ Deliberately speaking during the prayer invalidates the prayer.

Benefit:
From this hadith, it is understood that in the earlier period, it was permissible to verbally reply to greetings (salam) during prayer. Similarly, speaking during prayer was also permissible, but later it was prohibited to reply to greetings verbally or to speak to anyone during prayer. The statement of Allah, the Exalted, is: «وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ» Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 238. It should be noted that during prayer, it is permissible to reply to greetings by signaling with a finger or hand. (Sunan Abi Dawud: 925, 927, authentic) It is prohibited to reply to greetings verbally during prayer.