A man has a large recording device that can be heard from a distance; is it permissible for him to enter the bathroom while the device is on, which may contain the Qur'an or a lecture, or must he turn it off?
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The questioner : A questioner says: O honorable Shaykh, I have a large recording device in my house that can be heard from a distance. Is it permissible for me to enter the restroom while the device is on, which may contain the Qur'an, a lecture, or something else, or must I turn it off, knowing that its location is far from the restroom?
The Shaykh : Yes, there is no blame on him in this; that is, it is permissible for a person to place the recorder outside the bathroom door while he listens to it. It was mentioned regarding the grandfather of the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, who was 'Abd al-Salam, that he used to order his slave or his son to read to him while he was in the place of relief, in order to preserve time. Perhaps this was a rare occurrence, because I do not think a scholar would do this constantly. But perhaps he wanted to review an issue among the issues he wanted to verify, so he did this. Although we say it is permissible, leaving it is better. Why? Because if a person is listening to a hadith that he likes, he may prolong his sitting to relieve himself, because he has become absorbed in what he is hearing. He may sit for an hour or two. As is mentioned, when people in the lands of disbelief want to read the newspapers and papers, they enter the bathroom with them. You know that their sitting chair is French-style, so he sits on this chair on his thighs with the newspapers with him, and perhaps with a cigarette as well, Allah knows best.
The questioner : A small library with him as well.
The Shaykh : They place a library in the bathroom. We ask Allah for well-being[Al-Furqan 25:44].
The Shaykh : Yes, there is no blame on him in this; that is, it is permissible for a person to place the recorder outside the bathroom door while he listens to it. It was mentioned regarding the grandfather of the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, who was 'Abd al-Salam, that he used to order his slave or his son to read to him while he was in the place of relief, in order to preserve time. Perhaps this was a rare occurrence, because I do not think a scholar would do this constantly. But perhaps he wanted to review an issue among the issues he wanted to verify, so he did this. Although we say it is permissible, leaving it is better. Why? Because if a person is listening to a hadith that he likes, he may prolong his sitting to relieve himself, because he has become absorbed in what he is hearing. He may sit for an hour or two. As is mentioned, when people in the lands of disbelief want to read the newspapers and papers, they enter the bathroom with them. You know that their sitting chair is French-style, so he sits on this chair on his thighs with the newspapers with him, and perhaps with a cigarette as well, Allah knows best.
The questioner : A small library with him as well.
The Shaykh : They place a library in the bathroom. We ask Allah for well-being