أَخْبَرَنَا
قُتَيْبَةُ , قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا
اللَّيْثُ , عَنْ
أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ , عَنْ
جَابِرٍ , قَالَ : بَعَثَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِحَاجَةٍ ثُمَّ " أَدْرَكْتُهُ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي , فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَأَشَارَ إِلَيَّ , فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ دَعَانِي , فَقَالَ : إِنَّكَ سَلَّمْتَ عَلَيَّ آنِفًا وَأَنَا أُصَلِّي , وَإِنَّمَا هُوَ مُوَجَّهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ إِلَى الْمَشْرِقِ " .
´It was narrated that Jabir said:` "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent me on an errand then I came back to him while he was praying. I greeted him with the salam and he gestured to me. When he finished he called me and said: 'You greeted me with Salam just now and I was praying.' And he was facing toward the east that day."
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
1190. Commentary: "From the direction of the east" means that he was not facing the Ka'bah while performing the prayer, because in Madinah the qiblah is towards the south. However, during travel, it is not necessary to face the qiblah for voluntary (nafl) prayers. It is only required to face the qiblah at the beginning, and afterwards, regardless of which direction the mount turns, one should continue praying. From this, it is also established that it is permissible to greet someone who is praying, and for the one praying to respond with a gesture.
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 1190