How can the Prophet's—peace and blessings be upon him—prohibition of speaking during prayer and his saying: "Indeed, this prayer is not suitable for any of the speech of people," be reconciled with the worshipper's intention to greet those beside him and the angels when performing the tasleem, based on the hadith: "Then he greets his brother on his right and on his left"? And is it incumbent upon the congregants to return the greeting to each other?

The hadith "It suffices one of you to place his hand on his thigh, then greet his brother to his right and left" is authentic and does not contradict the hadith "Indeed, this prayer is not suitable for any human speech" for two reasons:

1. The salutation (taslim) in prayer is an exception to the impermissible speech because the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded it at the end of the prayer.

2. The primary purpose of the salutation is to exit the prayer, not merely to greet those present. If one intends by it to greet the worshippers, it does not harm him. It is stated in the Hashiyat Qalyubi wa 'Umairah that the mere intention of greeting worshippers or informing them of the prayer's end nullifies it. The Permanent Committee (for Islamic Research and Fatawa) stated that its primary purpose is to conclude the prayer and exit from it, while also intending to greet the worshippers. Imam Al-Nawawi mentioned that the Imam, the congregant, and the individual performer of prayer intend with the first salutation to exit the prayer along with greeting those on their right and the guardian angels (and for the congregant, to greet the Imam), and with the second salutation, to greet those on their left and the guardian angels.

Some jurists are of the view that the meaning of "greet his brother" is "to greet as he would greet his brother," and it is not intended as a greeting to people during the prayer.

As for returning the greeting among congregants, Sheikh Ibn 'Uthaymeen clarified that each worshipper's greeting to the other suffices as a reply.