Sayyiduna Zayd bin Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) says: In the time of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), a person would speak to his companion during prayer if there was a need, until this verse was revealed {وَقُوْمُوْا لِلّٰہِ قَانِتِیْنَ} (And stand before Allah with devotion). After that, we were commanded to remain silent.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: We used to greet the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with salam while he was in prayer, and he would respond to us. But when we returned from Najashi and greeted the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with salam, he did not respond to us. We said: O Messenger of Allah! We used to greet you with salam during prayer and you would respond to us (but today?). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Indeed, there is engagement in prayer.

. (Second chain of narration) They say: When we were in Mecca before going to Abyssinia, we used to say salam (greetings of peace) to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, during prayer (and he would reply to our salam), but when we returned from the region of Abyssinia and said salam to you, you did not reply. I was seized by both near and distant reasons (wondering why you did not reply), (finally) when you finished the prayer, I asked you, O Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. You said: Indeed, Allah the Exalted issues new commands as He wills. Now He has issued a new command that we should not speak during prayer.

Sayyiduna Muawiyah bin Hakam Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Once we were performing prayer with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), when suddenly a man sneezed, and I said to him, "Yarhamukallah (may Allah have mercy on you)." Because of this, the people started staring at me. I said to them, "Woe to my mother, what has happened to you that you are looking at me?" The people began striking their hands on their thighs. When I saw that they were making me silent (I wanted to say something), but I remained silent. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer, may my parents be sacrificed for you, I have never seen a better teacher before or after you in teaching than you, O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). By Allah! You neither scolded me, nor spoke harshly to me, nor beat me. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Verily, this prayer is such that nothing from the speech of people is correct in it. It is only glorification (tasbih), magnification (takbir), and recitation of the Qur'an. Or as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said. I said: O Messenger of Allah! We are people who are close to the time of ignorance, now Allah Almighty has granted us Islam, but some of us go to soothsayers and fortune-tellers (what do you say about this)? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Do not go to them. I said: And some of us take evil omens? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: People feel such things in their hearts, but it should not prevent them from doing anything. I said: Some of us draw lines? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: There was a prophet who used to draw lines, so whoever's line coincided with his, it was correct. I said: And I have a slave-girl who used to graze sheep, ... ... . Then he mentioned her incident.