Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sahih al-Bukhari, which contains 7,277 hadiths across 97 books. It is hadith number 1161 in the Book of Actions while Praying.

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

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#1160

#1161

Sahih al-Bukhari

#1162

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Sahih al-Bukhari #1161

Q: What is Sahih al-Bukhari 1161 about?

This hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Actions while Praying), narrated by Narrated `Abdullah:, states: "We used to greet the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was praying and he used to answer our greetings. When we returned from An-Najashi (the ruler of Ethiopia), we greeted him, but he did not answer us (during t…"

Actions while Praying

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَيَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ النَّجَاشِيِّ سَلَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْنَا وَقَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّ فِي الصَّلاَةِ شُغْلاً ‏"‏‏.‏

We used to greet the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was praying and he used to answer our greetings. When we returned from An-Najashi (the ruler of Ethiopia), we greeted him, but he did not answer us (during the prayer) and (after finishing the prayer) he said, "In the prayer one is occupied (with a more serious matter)."

Narrated by Narrated `Abdullah:

Context

In this hadith, Abdullah narrates an experience where the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) would respond to greetings while praying. However, upon returning from a visit, he did not respond during prayer, explaining that one is occupied with a more serious matter during prayer. This highlights the focus and concentration required in prayer.

Modern Application

Today, this hadith reminds Muslims of the importance of maintaining focus during prayer. It encourages them to minimize distractions and fully engage in their worship.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Prophetic Conduct and Respectful Greetings because it illustrates the etiquette of greetings in relation to prayer as practiced by the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).

Prophetic Conduct Respectful Greetings