Almuhtada.org – How to answer the salam during prayer? What is the law of answering the salam during prayer? The reason is, sometimes there are worshipers or people who say salam to us, even when we are praying.
Saying salam to other Muslims is very recommended and must be answered. Because actually the salam is praying for goodness and can maintain harmony. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Shari’ah makes it obligatory to answer it. However, what is the law and how to answer the salam while praying?
Basically, answering the greeting is kifayah (obligatory) for people in the audience who are not busy and ‘ain (obligatory) if there is only one person. Shaykh Zainuddin al-Malibari confirmed the ‘ain obligation to answer the salam if there is only one person.
وخرج بقولي عن جمع الواحد فالرد فرض عين عليه ولو كان المسلم صبيا مميزا
Meaning:
“Out of my words, “from a group of people”, if it is one person, then answering the salam is obligatory on him, even if the Muslim is a small child who has reached the age of puberty.”
Law and how to answer the salam during prayer
For those who are busy, such as those who are praying, it is not obligatory to answer. However, it is still recommended to answer the salam. As for how to answer the greeting while praying, it can be done in two ways.
First, answer immediately, that is, when praying while then answering the salam. Second, waiting for the prayer to end, and then answering it.
If you want to answer the salam in prayer, it is recommended to use isyarah of body parts such as the head, hands and the like. Shaykh Zainuddin in Fathu al-Muin (597) says;
ويسن الرد لمن في الحمام وملب باللفظ ولمصل ومؤذن ومقيم بالإشارة وإلا فبعد الفراغ أي إن قرب الفصل ولا يجب عليهم
Meaning:
“For the one who is in the bathroom, or is making talniyah by recitation, or is praying, the muezzin and the one who gives the iqamah, it is Sunnah to answer the salam with isyarah.
If he does not answer, then he should answer when he is finished, if there is a short break. And they are not obliged to answer the salam.”
Al-Ramli Saghir also confirmed that it is Sunnah to answer the salam with isyarah if one is still praying. He said in Nihayatul Muhtaj (8/54).
وَيُنْدَبُ لِمُصَلٍّ وَمُؤَذِّنٍ إشَارَةٌ، وَإِلَّا فَبَعْدَ فَرَاغِهِ مَعَ قُرْبِ الْفَصْلِ.
Meaning:
“It is Sunnah for the one who is praying and the one who is calling to prayer to answer the salam using isyarah. Or if he does not answer immediately, then he should answer after the end of the prayer, if there is a short interval between prayers.”
More clearly, Syeh Zainuddin added that using isyarah with his body members. If he answers after praying, he should use the salam as usual. This is confirmed in the same book but in another chapter. (Fathul Mu’in: 146)
ويسن لمصل سلم عليه الرد بالإشارة باليد أو الرأس ولو ناطقا ثم بعد الفراغ منها باللفظ
Meaning:
“It is Sunnah for the praying person to respond to the greeting by gesturing with his hands and head, even if he can speak. After that, he should recite the greeting when he has finished his prayer.”
It is understandable why, when praying, the answer is given by using the isyarah of the body rather than by saying the words. This is because in prayer a person is prohibited from speaking words that have nothing to do with the prayer itself.
Therefore, the prayer will be cancelled if one answers the salam with words (unless the word khitab is not used). Therefore, the one who is praying should answer the salam in order to get the Sunnah of answering the salam. [] Fahdina Dean Yustisia
Editor: Mohammad Rizal Ardiansyah
