Sunan an-Nasa'i
Sunan an-Nasa'i 1190
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ هَاشِمٍ الْبَعْلَبَكِّيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ شَابُورٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ بَعَثَنِي النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَتَيْتُهُ وَهُوَ يَسِيرُ مُشَرِّقًا أَوْ مُغَرِّبًا فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ ثُمَّ سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ فَانْصَرَفْتُ فَنَادَانِي " يَا جَابِرُ " . فَنَادَانِي النَّاسُ يَا جَابِرُ . فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْكَ فَلَمْ تَرُدَّ عَلَىَّ . فَقَالَ " إِنِّي كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي " .
Muhammad ibn Hashim al-Ba‘labakki reported to us, saying: Muhammad ibn Shu‘ayb ibn Shabur reported to us, from ‘Amr ibn al-Harith, who said: Abu al-Zubayr informed me, from Jabir, who said: The Prophet (ﷺ) sent me on an errand. I came to him while he was traveling eastward or westward, greeted him, and he gestured with his hand. I greeted him again, and he gestured with his hand again. I turned away, but he called me, “O Jabir!” The people called out, “O Jabir!” I came to him and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I greeted you, but you did not return my greeting.” He said, “I was praying.”
Translation notes
The Arabic says the Prophet was traveling “eastward or westward” (musharriqan aw mugharriban); the direction is preserved as uncertain.