Sahih Muslim Book - 5, Hadith - 1206

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ حَدَّثَنِى أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ أَرْسَلَنِى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- وَهُوَ مُنْطَلِقٌ إِلَى بَنِى الْمُصْطَلِقِ فَأَتَيْتُهُ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّى عَلَى بَعِيرِهِ فَكَلَّمْتُهُ فَقَالَ لِى بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا - وَأَوْمَأَ زُهَيْرٌ بِيَدِهِ - ثُمَّ كَلَّمْتُهُ فَقَالَ لِى هَكَذَا - فَأَوْمَأَ زُهَيْرٌ أَيْضًا بِيَدِهِ نَحْوَ الأَرْضِ - وَأَنَا أَسْمَعُهُ يَقْرَأُ يُومِئُ بِرَأْسِهِ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ قَالَ « مَا فَعَلْتَ فِى الَّذِى أَرْسَلْتُكَ لَهُ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَمْنَعْنِى أَنْ أُكَلِّمَكَ إِلاَّ أَنِّى كُنْتُ أُصَلِّى ». قَالَ زُهَيْرٌ وَأَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ جَالِسٌ مُسْتَقْبِلَ الْكَعْبَةِ فَقَالَ بِيَدِهِ أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ إِلَى بَنِى الْمُصْطَلِقِ فَقَالَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى غَيْرِ الْكَعْبَةِ.

It was narrated that Jabir said: "The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) sent me (on an errand) as he was setting out towards Banu Al-Mustaliq. I came to him while he was praying atop his camel. I spoke to him, and he gestured to me with his hand like this" - Zuhair gestured with his hand - "then I spoke to him again and he gestured to me like this" - Zuhair gestured again with his hand, towards the ground. "I would hear him reciting, and he was gesturing with his head. When he had finished he said: 'What did you do with that for which I sent you? Nothing kept me from speaking to you except the fact that I was praying."' Zuhair said: "Abu Az-Zubair was sitting facing towards the Ka'bah, and Abu Az-Zubair gestured with his hand towards Banu Al-Mustaliq, and he gestured with his hand in a direction other than the Ka'bah."