Is listening to tapes, such as the Qur'an, sermons, and admonitions, a source of reward for a person? How is that the case? And is sitting to listen to a tape considered a gathering for the remembrance of Allah, for which one is rewarded?

The questioner : May the Shaykh be respected, is listening to tapes, such as the Qur'an, sermons, and admonitions, a source of reward for a person? How is that the case? And is sitting to listen to a tape considered a gathering for the remembrance of Allah, for which one is rewarded?

The Shaykh : There is no doubt that if a person listens to the Qur'an from tapes and is affected by it, he is rewarded for this. Likewise, if he listens to admonitions and the rulings of the Shari'ah and is affected by them, he is rewarded for that. And I say: One of the blessings of Allah upon us in this age is the existence of these tapes that carry knowledge, which have facilitated knowledge in terms of carrying it and in terms of listening to it. You find a man listening to these tapes while he is driving his car, or listening to these tapes while he is at his work. However, it is not permissible for a person to listen to Qur'anic tapes while he is occupied with his work, because if he does this, it is as if he is not concerned with what he is hearing. Rather, if you want to listen to Qur'anic tapes, you should devote yourself to them so that you listen to them with the attentiveness they deserve. As for being occupied, that is not permissible. Therefore, I have seen among some people who love good, in their shops, recorders with Qur'anic tapes. You find him selling and buying, and people come and enter the shop. As you know, there is idle talk that occurs during buying and selling, which is well known, while the recorder is reciting the Qur'an or the Qur'an is emanating from it. Such a thing is not permissible. Rather, it should be said to the owner of the shop: Do not play the Qur'an or Qur'anic tapes unless you are free to listen to them.