This is one of those things that people seem to be oblivious about. When you are in the house of Allah recite as much Quran as you can… for reading one verse while waiting for prayer is better than being gifted a camel… or so the hadeeth goes.

Now the idea is that you can do that as long as you do not become a distraction for other people in the masjid who are trying to pray or recite quran. You might have the most beautiful voice that existed since the Prophet Dawood (peace be upon him) but that doesn’t change the fact that the priority is given to the one performing prayer at the mosque.

So both as a courtesy and as a religious obligation you should lower your voice so that only you can hear the recitation unless you are hard of hearing in which case you can just read it to yourself… away from those praying.

The same goes to those praying… if you like reciting quran during your nawafil prayers then you can do so … in your own house. In the masjid lower your voice so that you do not cause distraction to the others praying.

I was going to make a comic for lowering cell phone ringers … and I probably will later… but for now I also included this so that people can take care. Scholars have already given you permission to shut off your ringer during prayer so as not to distract the other worshipers and they already said it would not invalidate your salah… so why are you letting it ring all the way through?!

Take your phone out and shut it please.

September 29, 2010