If the one entering the mosque greets, and the seated people return the greeting, while a group is praying next to them, does the obligation to return the greeting fall off them because the seated people returned it?

The questioner : Returning the greeting is a collective obligation. As for returning it during prayer, when there are others present who are not praying and who returned the greeting at that time?

The Shaykh : The answer lies in the question itself. If returning the greeting is a collective obligation, meaning that if a man enters and greets, and one of us returns it, the obligation falls off the others. So, if we consider the scenario in the question: the entrant enters, some of us are praying and some are not, and one of those who are not praying returns the greeting, then the obligation falls off the one praying to return with a hand gesture. In reality, the question is a repetition with no benefit. But what is on my mind and in my thoughts is perhapsThe questioner : he wanted to say in his question: If the entrant enters the mosque, and some are praying and others are not, is it permissible for the praying people to return the greeting to the greeter with a hand gesture? This is the question that should be asked. And upon you be peace and blessings. Rest on the log. The answer to the question you just raised is that it does not differ from the answer regarding the first scenario. We said in the first scenario: if the entrant enters the assembly and greets, and one of them returns it, that is permissible, meaning the obligation falls off the rest. But this does not mean that it is not permissible for all of them to return the greeting to him. In fact, it is better for all of them to say, "And upon you be peace." The first issue was about the obligation of answering the greeting falling off the others when one person answers. But this does not mean that it is not prescribed for the others to return the greeting. Rather, it is prescribed for them to return the greeting, but on the basis of recommendation, not on the basis of obligation. The ruling is the same in the other scenario I described just now: if the entrant enters the mosque, and some are praying and some are not, and if one of the praying people returns with a gesture, or one of the seated people returns verbally, then the obligation is fulfilled. But it is also said that if all of them return the greeting—those who are not praying verbally, and those who are praying with a gesture—then that is better. The obligation is only that one of them returns it. But I correct myself and say: the obligation is the most complete form, which is that one of the present seated people who are not praying returns it verbally. If the rest of them return it, including the seated praying people verbally and the praying people with a gesture, then that is better. This is what I intended to clarify.