English Translation

Muhammad ibn Fudayl told us: al-A'mash told us, from Ibrahim, from Alqamah, from Abdullah, who said: "We used to greet the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, while he was in prayer, and he would return the greeting to us. When we returned from the Negus, we greeted him, but he did not return the greeting to us. So we said: 'O Messenger of Allah, we used to greet you during the prayer and you would return the greeting to us.' He said: 'Indeed, in me' - or 'in the prayer' - 'there is occupation that prevents that.'"