14 Instances it is Disliked to Extend the Salaam

Ash Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul Qawee al Mardaaee stated in Mandhoomat al-Adab:

These are the instances where extending the Salaam is disliked;

• The First: It is disliked to extend the Salaam to someone who is speaking, because he is occupied with speaking to someone else.

• The Second: "one who is busy with Dhikr (verbal remembrance of Allah)" such as Tasbeeh (SubhanAllah), Tahleel (La Ilaha Ilallah) and the recital of the Quran.
• The Third: One who is busy with the speech (Hadeeth) of Muhammad - صلى الله عليه وسلم.
• The Fourth: Extending the Salaam to one who is giving a Khutbah (a public speech), with the exception of the Jum'ah (Friday) Khutbah, for it is prohibited to speak during it; it is prohibited to extend the Salaam to the Khateeb or those attending the Jum'ah prayer, this is not permissible."
• The Fifth: "and a person giving a lesson" one who is giving a lesson in Quran, Hadeeth, Fiqh or Arabic grammar, do not extend the Salaam to the teacher. Some people come to a circle of knowledge while the class is being taught and extend the Salaam with a raised voice. This is disliked, because it distracts the teacher and those sitting and listening, as they would now give their attention to the new comer.
• The Sixth: "those who are engaged in knowledge based research" One who is researching a specific knowledge based issue, do not extend the Salaam to him and interrupt his research.
• The Seventh: "one who is preaching" Whoever is delivering a sermon to people, do not extend the Salaam to him. If you arrive, sit and listen to the sermon, do not extend the Salaam because you will distract the one giving the sermon as well as the listeners.
• The Eighth: "One who is reviewing Fiqh"; the one who is studying Fiqh.
• The Ninth: "The Mu-adhin" If he is calling to the prayer do not extend the Salaam to him because you will interrupt the Adhaan for him.
• The Tenth: "one who is praying" If you arrive and there is a person praying, do not extend the Salam to him until he finishes his prayer.

  It is narrated that one of the companions extended the Salaam to the prophet - صلى الله عليه وسلم - while he was praying and he responded by indicating with his hand. So if a person extends the Salaam to you while you are praying, then respond by indication with your hand.

• The Eleventh: "one who is engaged in purification" Do not extend the Salam to one who is performing ablution until he is done.

  As for the one who is bathing without the intention for 'Ibaadah (i.e. performing Ghusl), such as the one bathing to cool down or for cleanliness, then there is no problem with extending the Salaam.

• The Twelfth: Likewise it is not legislated to extend the Salaam to one who is eating.
• The Thirteenth: "one who is using the bathroom" This is more severe; one who is defecating or urinating, do not extend the Salaam while he is relieving himself. This is because it is disliked for the person who is relieving himself to speak, so do not extend the Salaam.
• The Fourteenth: "One who is engaged in battle during a war " The last is one who is engaged in a battle, because he is occupied with battling the enemies of Allah.