It is a condition in forbidding evil that one knows that it is evil, with an example given for that.

The Shaykh : In forbidding evil, it is a condition that we know that it is evil according to the Islamic Shari'ah. If we do not know, it is not permissible for us to forbid it. Now, I will give two examples. We find a man worshipping in a manner that Allah has not prescribed. What is the original ruling: do we forbid it to him, or do we not? We find a man worshipping other than by the Shari'ah of Allah. What is the original ruling? Do we forbid it, or do we remain silent until it becomes clear? We know that he is not following the Shari'ah. Yes, we forbid it and say, "Come, what is this prayer? What is this glorification? What is this saying? What is this action? How do you worship Allah with this thing?" until there is evidence that this is from the Shari'ah of Allah. Why did we say that? Because the original ruling in acts of worship is what? Prohibition. The original ruling in acts of worship is prohibition, and that no one can worship Allah except with evidence. Any person you see worshipping without evidence, forbid it to him and say, "Bring the evidence." If he asks you, "What is the evidence that this is evil?" what do you say? I say, "What is your evidence that this is worship?" The original ruling is that we do not worship Allah except with what He has prescribed. So the original ruling in acts of worship is prohibition. We forbid every person who innovates a form of worship that we do not know is from the Shari'ah of Allah until he brings us evidence.
The second example: A man we found doing an act that is not worship. Do we forbid it to him or not? I mean, is the original ruling to forbid it or not to forbid it? The original ruling is not to forbid it, because the original ruling in matters other than worship is permissibility and lawfulness, until evidence is established for prohibition. Based on that, what do you say about a man who attended a lecture and brought a recorder to record the lecture? A man said to him, "This is forbidden," and forbade him with the utmost forbidding, saying, "This is forbidden, how do you do this?" Is he correct or incorrect?
The student: Incorrect.

The Shaykh : Why? Because this is not worship. I did not bring the recorder to worship Allah by bringing it, but to preserve this lecture instead of tiring my hand by writing and missing some words. I record and listen to it with peace of mind. I did not come to worship Allah by bringing it. How can you forbid me? He said, "Glory be to Allah, was this recorder present in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)?" What do you say? Answer, everyone. It was not present. But the Shari'ah is suitable for all times and places. Allah the Exalted says: Where in the Qur'an and Sunnah is it stated that this is prohibited? Tell me. Do you read a printed book? I ask the one who told me the recorder is forbidden, "Do you read a printed book?" He will say yes. If he reads, he will say yes. Were printing presses present in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions? No. So do not read printed books, because this is printed by a machine that was not known in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) or the time of his Companions. So it is a religious innovation. Do not read the printed book at all. Otherwise, do not forbid me the recorder. Is this clear?
So, is the one who forbids the owner of the recorder from recording beneficial and valuable lectures correct? No. His forbidding is the evil. For this reason, we say, do not forbid except what you know is evil by the Shari'ah. Another person came and said, "How do you pray with a microphone?" Pray with a microphone?! This is a forbidden religious innovation. This is the horn of the Jews, or... This is the horn of the Jews, because it does not apply to the bell of the Christians. But he said, "This is the horn of the Jews, this is forbidden." And he stood up and emphasized the microphone and its use in prayer and the call to prayer. When we said, "How, my brother, do you emphasize this upon us?!" He said, "Did the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions use it?" What do we say? No, or yes? No. But they did not use it not because it is forbidden, but because it was not present in their time. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered his Companions who had loud voices to convey the message. He ordered the one who saw the call to prayer in a dream to convey it to Bilal and said: . He ordered Abu Talhah on the day of Khaybar to call out: . He ordered al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib in the Battle of Thaqif to call out to the Companions who had fled, "O companions of the date palm," "O companions of the chapter of al-Baqarah," because he had a strong voice.
So raising the voice in conveying the message, its original basis is present in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). But this machine is not present. So the machine is merely a means to convey the voice. And if the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) approved Abu Bakr conveying on his behalf in prayer when he prayed for the people while ill, Abu Bakr was conveying on behalf of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This indicates that there is no objection to using what conveys the voice to the worshippers. But here is a point, and that is that some people...