Ruling on returning the greeting during the Friday sermon

The listener Hamed Shakir from Harimla sent a message containing five questions. In his first question, he says: You know, may Allah guide you, that returning the greeting is obligatory, and that listening to the Friday sermon is obligatory. So if one of the people greets me while the preacher is delivering the sermon, should I return it to him, especially if he insists on me and forces me to respond? Please issue a ruling for us, may Allah reward you, may Allah reward you with good?
Answer: The greeting is not prescribed during the time of the sermon. Rather, one should pray the greeting prayer (salat al-tahiyyah) and sit down, and not greet anyone until the preacher finishes. If someone greets you, you do not return it except by gesture, just as if someone greets you during prayer, you return it by gesture, and that is sufficient. He has no right to insist on asking for the greeting. If he extends his hand, you extend your hand, but you do not say anything until the preacher finishes. When the preacher stops, you return the greeting to him, and praise be to Allah.
And the believer conducts himself with Islamic etiquette and learns. Just as he returns the greeting by gesture during prayer, so if his brother greets him while the imam is delivering the sermon, he returns it by gesture, with his hand or his head, and that is sufficient, and praise be to Allah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.