Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 926 ⓘ
jabir said: The prophet of Allah sent me to Banu al-Mustaliq. When I returned to him, he was praying on his camel. I talked to him; he made a sign to me with his hand like this. I again talked to him; he made a sign to me with his hand like this. I was hearing him reciting the Qur’an and he was making a sign with his head. When he finished his prayer, he said; what did you do about the mission for which I had sent you; nothing prevented me from talking to you except that I was praying.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ النُّفَيْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ أَرْسَلَنِي نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى بَنِي الْمُصْطَلِقِ فَأَتَيْتُهُ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي عَلَى بَعِيرِهِ فَكَلَّمْتُهُ فَقَالَ لِي بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا ثُمَّ كَلَّمْتُهُ فَقَالَ لِي بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا وَأَنَا أَسْمَعُهُ يَقْرَأُ وَيُومِئُ بِرَأْسِهِ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ قَالَ " مَا فَعَلْتَ فِي الَّذِي أَرْسَلْتُكَ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَمْنَعْنِي أَنْ أُكَلِّمَكَ إِلاَّ أَنِّي كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي " .
also referenced under: Hadith 926 (DarusSalam) & Book 3, Hadith 926 (USC-MSA)