I noticed in one of the mosques, in the back of the mosque, people talking while the imam is delivering the sermon and he does not see them. Should I gesture to them to be quiet, or should I leave them alone until it ends?

The questioner : I noticed in one of the mosques people talking while the imam is delivering the sermon, and they are in the back of the mosque and the imam does not see them. Should I gesture to them to be quiet, or should I leave them alone until the sermon ends?

The Shaykh : Talking during the Friday sermon is forbidden. In fact, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) compared it to a donkey carrying logs. It is not permissible to silence them with words, meaning it is not permissible to say to them: "Be quiet," due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): meaning that you have missed the reward, the reward of Friday. However, there is no harm in alerting them by gesture, by placing your finger on your lips as a sign to them, because you have not spoken. And preventing them from talking during the sermon is a prevention of harm to others, because if they start talking during the sermon, they will distract people and disturb them. So if they are silenced by gesture, this prohibited matter is removed.

The questioner : May Allah bless you.