Using the verse “Men whom neither trade nor sale diverts from the remembrance of Allah” as evidence for closing shops during prayer
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Regarding His saying, the Exalted:[An-Nur 24:37]. He says: Is this verse not a refutation of those who say that there is nothing in the Book that makes it clear that commercial establishments should not be closed during prayer, and that doing so results in a loss? Can this statement be derived from it?
The Shaykh:
There is no doubt that the verse is explicit in this regard:[An-Nur 24:37]. It says: “They glorify Him in the morning and in the evening.” It says: “They glorify Him therein in the morning and in the evening.” “Men whom neither trade nor sale therein, meaning in the mosques, diverts.” This indicates that they go to the mosque, pray, and then return to their selling and buying. It does not say they do not trade. It says: “Neither trade nor sale diverts them.” They follow, they buy, [Al-Jumu'ah 62:10], and seek provision from Allah and worship Him. Worship has its time, and seeking provision and trade have their time. So the one who says this, his statement is false. It is a false statement that contradicts, it contradicts this verse entirely. Yes.
The questioner:
May you succeed.
The Shaykh:
And Allah the Exalted knows best, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Regarding His saying, the Exalted:
[Are] men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah and performance of prayer
رِجَالٌ لَّا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِThe Shaykh:
There is no doubt that the verse is explicit in this regard:
neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah
لَّا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِAnd when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often
فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًاThe questioner:
May you succeed.
The Shaykh:
And Allah the Exalted knows best, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
Source
شرح إغاثة اللهفان من مصائد الشيطان لابن القيم، فصل في القلب المريض — islamhouse.com (1:14:08)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.