When I am in the mosque and I am reading the Qur'an, and some of the worshippers enter and greet me, should I return their greeting or continue reading?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : May the Shaykh be respected, when I am in the mosque and I am reading the Qur'an, and some of the worshippers enter and greet me, should I return their greeting or continue reading? I ask for your guidance.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. The scholars say: It is not appropriate to greet the reader of the Qur'an, or anyone else who is occupied with reading a book or the like, because this distracts him. Many people who read the Qur'an, especially those who read from memory, become confused when someone greets them and then forget where they stopped.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because the matter comes upon them suddenly, they may repeat the verses several times if many people greet them. For this reason, it is not appropriate to greet someone who is occupied unless he has finished his task, in which case you may greet him. This is provided that the person occupied is not one of sensitive feeling and perception who thinks you did not greet him out of contempt for him or neglect of him; in that case, greet him to avert this harm.
As for the one who is praying, it is reported that one may greet him. If you enter upon a person who is praying and you greet him, there is no harm, but he does not return the greeting with words. He does not say, "Peace be upon you," because if he returns the greeting with words, intending and knowing that speech invalidates the prayer, then his prayer is invalid. However, he returns the greeting with a gesture, raising his hand to indicate that he sensed you and returned your greeting. But he does not raise it as many people do, until it is level with his ears; rather, he raises it slightly so that the one who greeted him knows that he sensed him and returned his greeting. Then, if this person who greeted him remains until the one praying says the closing salam, he returns the greeting with words and talks to him if he wishes. But if he leaves, the initial gesture is sufficient. Yes.
The questioner : The second paragraph, O Shaykh Muhammad, says.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. The scholars say: It is not appropriate to greet the reader of the Qur'an, or anyone else who is occupied with reading a book or the like, because this distracts him. Many people who read the Qur'an, especially those who read from memory, become confused when someone greets them and then forget where they stopped.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because the matter comes upon them suddenly, they may repeat the verses several times if many people greet them. For this reason, it is not appropriate to greet someone who is occupied unless he has finished his task, in which case you may greet him. This is provided that the person occupied is not one of sensitive feeling and perception who thinks you did not greet him out of contempt for him or neglect of him; in that case, greet him to avert this harm.
As for the one who is praying, it is reported that one may greet him. If you enter upon a person who is praying and you greet him, there is no harm, but he does not return the greeting with words. He does not say, "Peace be upon you," because if he returns the greeting with words, intending and knowing that speech invalidates the prayer, then his prayer is invalid. However, he returns the greeting with a gesture, raising his hand to indicate that he sensed you and returned your greeting. But he does not raise it as many people do, until it is level with his ears; rather, he raises it slightly so that the one who greeted him knows that he sensed him and returned his greeting. Then, if this person who greeted him remains until the one praying says the closing salam, he returns the greeting with words and talks to him if he wishes. But if he leaves, the initial gesture is sufficient. Yes.
The questioner : The second paragraph, O Shaykh Muhammad, says.