He said: "Yes. And should he return the greeting of the sneezing person?" He replied: "Yes, while the Imam is delivering the khutbah." Abu Abd Allah [Ahmad] said: "More than one person has done this." He said this more than once. Among those who permitted this were al-Hasan, al-Sha'bi, al-Nakha'i, al-Hakam (27), Qatadah, al-Thawri, and Ishaq; this is because it is mandatory, so it is necessary to perform it during the khutbah, just like warning the blind person. The second narration is that if he cannot hear, he should return the greeting of peace and respond to the sneezing (28). If he can hear, he should not do so. Abu Talib said: Ahmad said: "If you hear the khutbah, then listen and remain silent, and do not recite [Quran], and do not respond to the sneezing; but if you do not hear the khutbah, then recite, respond to the sneezing, and return the greeting of peace." Abu Dawud said: I said to Ahmad: "Should a man return the greeting of peace while the Imam is delivering the khutbah, and respond to the sneezing?" He replied: "If he does not hear the khutbah, he should return the greeting; if he does hear it, he should not, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: {So listen to it and remain silent} (29)." It was said to Ahmad: "A man hears the tone of the Imam's voice during the khutbah but does not know what he is saying; should he return the greeting?" He said: "No, if he hears something." Something similar was narrated from 'Ata'; this is because silence is mandatory, so speech that prevents it without necessity is not permissible, just like the command to listen. The Qadi said: "He should not return the greeting nor respond to the sneezing." Something similar was narrated from Ibn Umar. This is the opinion of Malik, al-Awza'i, and the Ashab al-Ra'y [the Hanafis]. The opinion of al-Shafi'i regarding this differed (30); it is possible that this opinion is specific to those who can hear as opposed to those who cannot, which would be like the second narration, and it is possible that it is general for everyone present, whether they hear or do not hear, because the obligation of silence is inclusive of them, so the prohibition of returning the greeting and responding to the sneezing would be established for them, just as it is for those who hear.

Section: Speech is not disliked before he begins the khutbah and after he finishes it. This was the opinion of