Q: Can we reply the salaam of some one while making wudhu or reading Quran?
A. It is Makrooh and sinful to make Salaam to a person who is engaged in any Ibaadat; Wudhu is also an Ibaadat. (Raddul Muhtaar V4 P425), hence one should not make salaam to a person who is making Wudhu. If the person making Wudhu is reciting the Du’aas of Wudhu, he should not reply to the salaam, and if he is not reciting any Du’aa then he may reply.
It is also Makrooh and sinful to make Salaam to a person engaged in the recitation of the Qur’aan. (Raddul Muhtaar V4 P427). It is not compulsory on the person reciting Qur’aan to reply to the Salaam. However, if he does stop the recitation and reply, he will also gain the reward of replying to a Salaam. If he had interrupted his Tilaawat to reply to a salaam then he should repeat the Ta’awwudh (A’oodhu Billaah…) when resuming the recitation.
Allah Ta’aala knows best.
Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked by: Mufti Siraj Desai