Saying Salaam to Someone Reciting the Qur'aan

‘Uqbah Ibn ‘Aamir al-Juhanee (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated: “We were sitting in the mosque reading the Qur’aan; then the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) entered and greeted us with the greeting of salaam; so we replied him with the greeting of salaam. Then he (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Learn the Book of Allaah, acquire it and recite it beautifully. By the One in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, it (that is, the Qur’an) is more likely to slip away from you than the camel which is tied.”

Commenting on the above narration, Shaykh al-Albaanee said: “From the fiqh (understanding) contained in this hadeeth is that, it is legislated to greet a person sitting reciting the Qur’aan with the greeting of salaam. It [also] contains a refutation of whoever is of the view that it is disliked to do so. In spite of the fact that such is a mere opinion, it contradicts this hadeeth and the general meaning of the Prophet’s statement: “Spread Salaam amongst yourselves.”

If it is authentically established that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) gave approval to the Companions when they greeted him with the greeting of Salaam while he was performing Salaah in Masjid Qubaa’, and that he would respond to their greetings by making a gesture with his noble hand - then it is more deserving that it should be legislated to offer the greeting of Salaam to someone reciting the Qur’aan outside of the Salaah. And in this case, the reply should be expressed orally, not by gesturing, as is not hidden from the people of understanding. And this is the view of an-Nawawee (may Allaah have mercy on him)

Source: Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah, hadeeth no. 3285, by Shaykh al-Albaanee (may Allaah have mercy on him)‘