Hadith 14783

(حديث مرفوع) حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي ، حَدَّثَنَا كَثِيرُ بْنُ شِنْظِيرٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا عَطَاءُ بْنُ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ، قَالَ : أَرْسَلَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي حَاجَةٍ ، فَانْطَلَقْتُ ، ثُمَّ رَجَعْتُ وَقَدْ قَضَيْتُهَا ، فَأَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ ، فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيَّ ، قَالَ : فَوَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي مَا اللَّهُ بِهِ أَعْلَمُ ، قَالَ : قُلْتُ : لَعَلَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَجَدَ عَلَيَّ أَنْ أَبْطَأْتُ ، فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ ، فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيَّ ، فَوَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي مَا اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْأُولَى ، ثُمَّ سَلَّمْتُ ، فَرَدَّ عَلَيَّ ، وَقَالَ : " أَمَا إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَمْنَعْنِي أَنْ أَرُدَّ عَلَيْكَ ، إِلَّا أَنِّي كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي " ، فَكَانَ عَلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ ، مُتَوَجِّهًا لِغَيْرِ الْقِبْلَةِ " .
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent me for some task of his. I went, and when I returned after completing the task, I greeted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with salam, but he did not reply. Allah knows best what passed through my heart. I thought perhaps the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was displeased with me because of my delay. I greeted him again, but still did not receive a reply, and I felt even more distressed than before. But the third time, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied and said that nothing prevented me from replying except that I was performing prayer. At that time, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was on his mount and his face was not towards the qiblah.
Hadith Reference مسند احمد / مسند المكثرين من الصحابة / 14783
Hadith Grading حکم دارالسلام: حديث صحيح، وهذا إسناد حسن، خ: 1217، م: 540