Translation of the Sermon
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Praise be to Allah, and may blessings and peace be upon the one after whom there is no prophet. After that: The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta has reviewed what was sent to His Eminence the Grand Mufti from His Excellency the President General of Affairs of al-Masjid al-Haram and al-Masjid al-Nabawi , bearing number (19 1) and dated 25/2/1423 AH, which was referred to the Committee by the General Secretariat of the Body of
Senior Scholars, bearing number (2726) and dated 2/3/1423 AH. His Excellency asked a question, the text of which is as follows: I submit to Your Eminence that the Presidency of Affairs of al-Masjid al-Haram and al-Masjid al-Nabawi has a project for the simultaneous translation of Friday sermons in the two Noble Mosques. The translator delivers the sermon alongside the preacher via a transmitter, and those in need of the translation listen to it while listening to the preacher through a small receiving device connected to the ear by a wire, so that the person next to them cannot hear it, lest it disturb them. The cost of this last device is negligible, not exceeding five riyals in the markets at present, and its price is expected to decrease over time. This enables everyone who attends Friday prayer and does not know Arabic to understand the sermon and benefit from it. As is well known, their number is large in the two Noble Sanctuaries , and they may even constitute the majority. Two of the Shaykhs raised an objection, the substance of which is that this arrangement contradicts the listening that is commanded, and that it is therefore not permissible. The Presidency has suspended the project due to this objection until it obtains Your Eminence’s opinion on the permissibility or impermissibility of this arrangement. I hope you will kindly express your correct opinion, and in light of it, the Presidency will proceed with the project’s procedures or abandon it. May Allah reward you, magnify your reward, and grant you success and guidance.
He rewards you and takes charge of you by guiding you and granting you success.
After the Committee’s study of His Excellency’s question, it answered: It is permissible to translate the sermon simultaneously and broadcast that translation via a transmission station, and for those among the worshippers who do not know Arabic to use receivers for that translation. This does not contradict the listening that is commanded, nor is it from the idle talk that is prohibited, neither on the part of the translator nor the recipient; for there is a public benefit in this, as those who do not know Arabic are able to understand the sermon and benefit from it, thereby achieving the purpose for which the sermon was legislated.
Senior Scholars, bearing number (2726) and dated 2/3/1423 AH. His Excellency asked a question, the text of which is as follows: I submit to Your Eminence that the Presidency of Affairs of al-Masjid al-Haram and al-Masjid al-Nabawi has a project for the simultaneous translation of Friday sermons in the two Noble Mosques. The translator delivers the sermon alongside the preacher via a transmitter, and those in need of the translation listen to it while listening to the preacher through a small receiving device connected to the ear by a wire, so that the person next to them cannot hear it, lest it disturb them. The cost of this last device is negligible, not exceeding five riyals in the markets at present, and its price is expected to decrease over time. This enables everyone who attends Friday prayer and does not know Arabic to understand the sermon and benefit from it. As is well known, their number is large in the two Noble Sanctuaries , and they may even constitute the majority. Two of the Shaykhs raised an objection, the substance of which is that this arrangement contradicts the listening that is commanded, and that it is therefore not permissible. The Presidency has suspended the project due to this objection until it obtains Your Eminence’s opinion on the permissibility or impermissibility of this arrangement. I hope you will kindly express your correct opinion, and in light of it, the Presidency will proceed with the project’s procedures or abandon it. May Allah reward you, magnify your reward, and grant you success and guidance.
He rewards you and takes charge of you by guiding you and granting you success.
After the Committee’s study of His Excellency’s question, it answered: It is permissible to translate the sermon simultaneously and broadcast that translation via a transmission station, and for those among the worshippers who do not know Arabic to use receivers for that translation. This does not contradict the listening that is commanded, nor is it from the idle talk that is prohibited, neither on the part of the translator nor the recipient; for there is a public benefit in this, as those who do not know Arabic are able to understand the sermon and benefit from it, thereby achieving the purpose for which the sermon was legislated.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.