English Translation

Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna narrated to us, he said: Muhammad ibn Ja'far narrated to us, he said: Shu'bah narrated to us, from Abu Ishaq, from Hubayrah, from Abdullah, who said: We used to greet the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) while he was in prayer, and he would return the greeting. But when we returned from [the land of] the Negus, we greeted him and he did not return the greeting. We said: O Messenger of Allah, we used to greet you in prayer and you would return the greeting. He said: «Indeed, there is preoccupation in prayer.»