is a preoccupation" (53). Ahmad was asked about a man sitting before one who is praying while reciting, and when he made a mistake, the one praying prompted him. He said: "How can he prompt him if he makes a mistake?" And he expressed astonishment (54) at this issue. If he did so, his prayer would not be invalidated, because it is the Quran, and he only intended to recite it, not to address a human being with something else. There is no harm if someone who is not in prayer prompts the one who is praying. Al-Najjad narrated with his chain of transmission (55), saying: "I was sitting in Mecca, and there was a man at the Station (Maqam) praying, and a man was sitting behind him prompting him; it was 'Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him."

Section: If someone offers the greeting of peace (salam) to one who is praying, it is not permissible for him to return the greeting with words; if he does so, his prayer is invalidated. Something similar has been narrated from Abu Dharr, 'Ata', and al-Nakha'i. Malik, al-Shafi'i, Ishaq, and Abu Thawr held this view. Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, al-Hasan, and Qatada saw no harm in it, and it was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that he commanded it. Ishaq said: "If he does it while interpreting [the matter], his prayer is valid." Our evidence is what Jabir narrated, saying: "We were with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on an errand, then I returned while he was praying on his mount, and his face was turned away from the Qiblah. I greeted him, but he did not return the greeting to me. When he finished, he said: 'Nothing prevented me from returning your greeting except that I was praying.'" And the statement of Ibn Mas'ud: "We said: O Messenger of Allah, we used to greet you in prayer and you would return it to us? He said: 'Indeed, in prayer there is a preoccupation.'" Both were narrated by Muslim (56). And because it is the speech of humans, it resembles saying "may Allah have mercy on you" (tashmit) to one who sneezes. Once this is established, he should return the greeting with a gesture. This is the view of Malik, al-Shafi'i, Ishaq, and Abu Thawr. From Ibn 'Abbas, it is reported that Musa ibn Jamil greeted him while he was praying, so Ibn 'Abbas grasped his arm, and that served as a return of the greeting from Ibn 'Abbas to him. If he returns the greeting after finishing the prayer, it is good. This has been narrated from Abu Dharr, 'Ata', al-Nakha'i, and Dawud; because of what