What is the ruling on playing a Qur'an or lecture tape inside the bathroom?
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The questioner : May Allah guide you, O Shaykh. This questioner asked me to present this question to you: What is the ruling on playing a tape inside the restroom, whether it is the Qur'an or a lecture?
The Shaykh : He is asking, meaning, what is the ruling on listening to a tape while a person is relieving himself?
If the tape is outside the place, there is nothing wrong with it, because if a person heard a reciter reading aloud outside the bathroom, listening would be permissible. However, if it is inside the bathroom, I have some reservations about this; I have some reservations about this, because the sound is coming from inside the bathroom. Therefore, it is better not to listen to anything containing the Qur'an. As for a lecture, there is nothing wrong with it. However, it is also not recommended to do this, even if it is a lecture, because this leads to prolonging one's sitting while relieving oneself. Prolonging one's sitting while relieving oneself is forbidden, because the default ruling regarding exposing the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) is prohibition except for a pressing need. Once the need is over, one stands up and does not remain with the 'awrah exposed.
To summarize the answer, we say: It is not recommended to listen to anything while relieving oneself, because that usually leads to what? To prolonging the sitting.
However, if it does not lead to this, and the man is a student of knowledge and knows that it is not permissible to remain beyond his need, then if it is not the Qur'an, there is nothing wrong, even if the recorder is inside the bathroom. If it is the Qur'an, he should not place the recorder inside the bathroom, but rather place it outside; there is nothing wrong with that.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes, yes, it does no harm.
The Shaykh : He is asking, meaning, what is the ruling on listening to a tape while a person is relieving himself?
If the tape is outside the place, there is nothing wrong with it, because if a person heard a reciter reading aloud outside the bathroom, listening would be permissible. However, if it is inside the bathroom, I have some reservations about this; I have some reservations about this, because the sound is coming from inside the bathroom. Therefore, it is better not to listen to anything containing the Qur'an. As for a lecture, there is nothing wrong with it. However, it is also not recommended to do this, even if it is a lecture, because this leads to prolonging one's sitting while relieving oneself. Prolonging one's sitting while relieving oneself is forbidden, because the default ruling regarding exposing the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) is prohibition except for a pressing need. Once the need is over, one stands up and does not remain with the 'awrah exposed.
To summarize the answer, we say: It is not recommended to listen to anything while relieving oneself, because that usually leads to what? To prolonging the sitting.
However, if it does not lead to this, and the man is a student of knowledge and knows that it is not permissible to remain beyond his need, then if it is not the Qur'an, there is nothing wrong, even if the recorder is inside the bathroom. If it is the Qur'an, he should not place the recorder inside the bathroom, but rather place it outside; there is nothing wrong with that.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes, yes, it does no harm.