Mustadrak al-Hakim — Hadith 8583

It is narrated from Tariq bin Shihab that he said: We were sitting with Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) when his attendant came and said: The prayer has begun. So he got up and we got up with him. When we entered the mosque, we saw that the people were in the state of bowing (ruku') in the front part of the mosque. He said the takbir, bowed, and moved forward (in that state), and we did the same as he had done. He says: (During the prayer) a man passed by hurriedly and said: Peace be upon you, O Abu Abd al-Rahman! He said (in reply): "Allah has spoken the truth and His Messenger has conveyed the message." When we had finished the prayer, he went back into his house, and we sat there in his place waiting for him to come out. Some of us said to others: Which of you will ask him about this? Tariq said: I will ask him. So Tariq asked him: That man greeted you with salam and you said in reply: "Allah has spoken the truth and His Messenger has conveyed the message" (what is the reason for that?). Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "Before the Hour, salam will be given only to particular people (the general custom of greeting will end), trade will spread so much that a woman will help her husband in trade, and a man will travel with his wealth to the far ends of the earth, yet on returning he will say: 'I have not made any profit (despite all this hardship).'"