Written by: Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amani Puri
It is permissible and correct to greet someone who is praying, and the response during prayer should not be verbal but rather through a gesture, which is a Sunnah. Responding verbally to greetings during prayer has been abrogated.
Sahih Bukhari: 1217, Sahih Muslim: 540
This Hadith proves that it is permissible to greet someone who is praying and for them to respond with a gesture.
Sunan Abi Dawood: 927, Sunan Tirmidhi: 368, Musnad Ahmad: 6/12 (Hasan)
Imam Tirmidhi rated this Hadith as "Hasan Sahih." Imam Ibn al-Jarud (215) and Hafiz Nawawi (Khilasatul Ahkam: 1/508) rated it as "Sahih."
Sunan Abi Dawood: 925, Sunan Tirmidhi: 367, Sunan Nasa'i: 1187, Musnad Ahmad: 4/332 (Sahih)
Imam Tirmidhi rated this Hadith as "Hasan," and Imam Ibn al-Jarud (216) and Imam Ibn Hibban also rated it as "Sahih." Another witness to this Hadith exists in "Sahih" chains in Sunan Nasa'i (1188), Sunan Ibn Majah (1017), and Musnad al-Humaidi (148), among others. Imam Ibn Khuzaymah (888) and Imam Ibn Hibban (2258) rated it as "Sahih." Imam Hakim (3/12) said it meets the criteria of Bukhari and Muslim, and Hafiz Dhahabi agreed.
These Ahadith prove that it is permissible and correct to greet someone who is praying and for them to respond with a gesture.
Al-Muwatta by Imam Malik: 1/168, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 2/74 (Sahih)
Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi: 2/259, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 2/73 (Sahih)
Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 2/73 (Sahih)
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal said: "If he wishes, he can respond with a gesture, but he should not respond verbally."
Masa'il Ahmad by Abi Dawood: 37, Masa'il Ahmad by Abi Hani: 1/44
Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar: 1/457
Response:
This argument is baseless and contrary to the aforementioned Ahadith and Athar, which clearly establish that responding to greetings during prayer with a gesture is permissible.
Sahih Bukhari: 1216, Sahih Muslim: 538
Response:
This Hadith indicates that responding verbally to greetings during prayer has been abrogated, but it does not negate responding with a gesture, which is proven by other authentic Ahadith.
Sunan Abi Dawood: 928, Musnad Ahmad: 2/461
Imam Hakim said it meets the criteria of Imam Muslim, and Hafiz Dhahabi agreed.
Response:This Hadith is weak due to the Tadlis (concealment) of Sufyan Thawri. Even if considered authentic, it means that verbal greetings during prayer are not allowed, but responding with a gesture is proven by other authentic Ahadith and Athar.
Sunan Abi Dawood: 944, Sunan Darqutni: 2/83
Response:
This Hadith is weak due to the Tadlis of Muhammad bin Ishaq. It also contradicts authentic Ahadith.
Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar: 1/457
Response:
This narration is weak due to the criticism of one of its narrators. Even if considered authentic, it does not negate responding with a gesture, as proven by other authentic narrations.
It is permissible and correct to greet someone who is praying, and the response during prayer should not be verbal but rather through a gesture, which is a Sunnah. Responding verbally to greetings during prayer has been abrogated.
Evidence 1:
Jabir reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent me while he was going to Banu Mustaliq. I came to him while he was praying on his camel. I spoke to him, and he gestured with his hand, and Zuhair (the narrator) also gestured with his hand towards the ground, and I heard him reciting the Qur'an and gesturing with his head. When he finished, he said: "What have you done regarding the matter I sent you for? Nothing prevented me from speaking to you except that I was praying."Sahih Bukhari: 1217, Sahih Muslim: 540
This Hadith proves that it is permissible to greet someone who is praying and for them to respond with a gesture.
Evidence 2:
Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went to Quba to pray there. The Ansar came to him, greeted him while he was praying. I asked Bilal: 'How did you see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) respond to their greetings while he was praying?' He (Bilal) said: 'He would gesture with his hand.'"Sunan Abi Dawood: 927, Sunan Tirmidhi: 368, Musnad Ahmad: 6/12 (Hasan)
Imam Tirmidhi rated this Hadith as "Hasan Sahih." Imam Ibn al-Jarud (215) and Hafiz Nawawi (Khilasatul Ahkam: 1/508) rated it as "Sahih."
Evidence 3:
Suhayb said: "I passed by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) while he was praying, and I greeted him, and he responded to me with a gesture."Sunan Abi Dawood: 925, Sunan Tirmidhi: 367, Sunan Nasa'i: 1187, Musnad Ahmad: 4/332 (Sahih)
Imam Tirmidhi rated this Hadith as "Hasan," and Imam Ibn al-Jarud (216) and Imam Ibn Hibban also rated it as "Sahih." Another witness to this Hadith exists in "Sahih" chains in Sunan Nasa'i (1188), Sunan Ibn Majah (1017), and Musnad al-Humaidi (148), among others. Imam Ibn Khuzaymah (888) and Imam Ibn Hibban (2258) rated it as "Sahih." Imam Hakim (3/12) said it meets the criteria of Bukhari and Muslim, and Hafiz Dhahabi agreed.
These Ahadith prove that it is permissible and correct to greet someone who is praying and for them to respond with a gesture.
Evidence 4:
Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by a man who was praying and greeted him. The man responded verbally. Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) returned to him and said: "When one of you is greeted while praying, do not speak but rather gesture with your hand."Al-Muwatta by Imam Malik: 1/168, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 2/74 (Sahih)
Evidence 5:
Ata narrated: "Musa bin Abdullah bin Jamil al-Jumahi greeted Ibn Abbas while he was praying, and he took his hand."Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi: 2/259, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 2/73 (Sahih)
Evidence 6:
Abu Majliz was asked about a man who was greeted while praying. He said: "He should respond by nodding with his right side."Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 2/73 (Sahih)
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal said: "If he wishes, he can respond with a gesture, but he should not respond verbally."
Masa'il Ahmad by Abi Dawood: 37, Masa'il Ahmad by Abi Hani: 1/44
Clarification:
Imam Ishaq bin Rahwayh, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, and Imam Sufyan al-Thawri stated that if a worshiper knew that responding verbally to greetings during prayer is prohibited and abrogated but did so anyway, he must repeat his prayer, as he deliberately spoke during the prayer.Note:
If someone responds to a greeting verbally out of ignorance during prayer, their prayer is not invalidated.Objection 1:
Hanafis argue that the gesture during prayer was to indicate the prohibition of greeting during prayer, not a response to the greeting.Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar: 1/457
Response:
This argument is baseless and contrary to the aforementioned Ahadith and Athar, which clearly establish that responding to greetings during prayer with a gesture is permissible.
Objection 2:
Abdullah bin Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "I used to greet the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was praying, and he would respond to me. But when we returned from Najashi, I greeted him during prayer, and he did not respond. He said: 'Prayer is preoccupying.'"Sahih Bukhari: 1216, Sahih Muslim: 538
Response:
This Hadith indicates that responding verbally to greetings during prayer has been abrogated, but it does not negate responding with a gesture, which is proven by other authentic Ahadith.
Objection 3:
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "There is no loss in prayer and no greeting."Sunan Abi Dawood: 928, Musnad Ahmad: 2/461
Imam Hakim said it meets the criteria of Imam Muslim, and Hafiz Dhahabi agreed.
Response:This Hadith is weak due to the Tadlis (concealment) of Sufyan Thawri. Even if considered authentic, it means that verbal greetings during prayer are not allowed, but responding with a gesture is proven by other authentic Ahadith and Athar.
Objection 4:
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever makes a gesture during his prayer that is understood, let him repeat it."Sunan Abi Dawood: 944, Sunan Darqutni: 2/83
Response:
This Hadith is weak due to the Tadlis of Muhammad bin Ishaq. It also contradicts authentic Ahadith.
Objection 5:
Imam Tahawi reported: Abu Sufyan said: "I heard Jabir bin Abdullah saying: I do not like to greet someone who is praying, but if he greets me, I will respond."Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar: 1/457
Response:
This narration is weak due to the criticism of one of its narrators. Even if considered authentic, it does not negate responding with a gesture, as proven by other authentic narrations.