Hadith 855

نَا يُوسُفُ بْنُ مُوسَى الْقَطَّانُ ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُضَيْلٍ ، أنا الأَعْمَشُ ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ، قَالَ : كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلاةِ ، فَيَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا ، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ النَّجَاشِيِّ سَلَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْنَا ، فَقُلْنَا : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْكَ فِي الصَّلاةِ وَتَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا ، فَقَالَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " إِنَّ فِي الصَّلاةِ لَشُغْلا "
Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that we used to greet the Prophet (peace be upon him) with salam while he was praying, and he (peace be upon him) would respond to our salam. So when we returned from Najashi (after the migration to Abyssinia), we greeted the Prophet (peace be upon him) with salam (while he was in prayer), but he (peace be upon him) did not respond to our salam. We said, "O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), we used to greet you with salam during prayer and you would respond to our salam. (Why did you not respond now?)" The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: "There is engagement in prayer."
Hadith Reference صحيح ابن خزيمه / جماع أبواب الكلام المباح فى الصلاة والدعاء والذكر، ومسألة الرب عز وجل وما يضاهي هذا ويقاربه / 855
Hadith Takhrij صحيح بخاري