How should one respond to salaam (greeting of peace) while engaged in salah (prayer)?

In a Nutshell: When a person is engaged in salah (prayer) and someone greets them with salaam (greeting of peace), they should respond by signaling. This is based on the hadith narrated by Sohaib (ra), where he passed by the Prophet (pbuh) while he was praying and said salaam to him, and the Prophet replied by signal. The description of the signal was narrated in many hadith, one of which is from Ibn Omar (ra), who said that the Prophet (pbuh) flattened his hand in response to the salaam Introduction Responding to salaam while engaged in salah is an important aspect of Islamic etiquette. It is essential to understand the proper way to respond to salaam while praying to avoid any confusion or disruption during the prayer. This article will discuss how one should respond to salaam while engaged in salah, including the historical context, evidences analysis, and explanations of the arguments and conclusions. Historical Context and Background The practice of responding to salaam while engaged in salah has been a part of Islamic tradition since the time of the Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) emphasized the importance of salaam and encouraged Muslims to greet each other with it. He said: "You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you something that, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread salaam among yourselves" This statement emphasizes the importance of salaam in Islam and encourages Muslims to spread it among themselves. Evidence Analysis The evidence suggests that a person should respond to salaam while engaged in salah by signaling. This is based on the hadith narrated by Sohaib (ra), where he passed by the Prophet (pbuh) while he was praying and said salaam to him, and the Prophet replied by signal. The description of the signal was narrated in many hadith, one of which is from Ibn Omar (ra), who said that the Prophet (pbuh) flattened his hand in response to the salaam Responding to Salaam when in Salah The proper way to respond to salaam while engaged in salah is by signaling. This is based on the hadith narrated by Sohaib (ra), where he passed by the Prophet (pbuh) while he was praying and said salaam to him, and the Prophet replied by signal. The description of the signal was narrated in many hadith, one of which is from Ibn Omar (ra), who said that the Prophet (pbuh) flattened his hand in response to the salaam This indicates that a person should respond to salaam while engaged in salah by signaling, rather than verbally responding. Misconceptions One common misconception is that a person should verbally respond to salaam while engaged in salah. However, the evidence suggests that a person should respond by signaling, as narrated by Sohaib (ra) and Ibn Omar (ra) Another misconception is that responding to salaam while engaged in salah is not necessary. However, the Prophet (pbuh) emphasized the importance of salaam and encouraged Muslims to greet each other with it, even during prayer Conclusion A person should respond to salaam while engaged in salah by signaling, as narrated by Sohaib (ra) and Ibn Omar (ra). This is based on the hadith that describes the Prophet (pbuh) responding to salaam while engaged in salah by signal. It is important to understand the proper way to respond to salaam while engaged in salah to avoid any confusion or disruption during the prayer.