If a person plays a Qur'an tape, is it obligatory for everyone who hears it to listen to it?
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The questioner : Allah the Exalted said: [Al-A'raf 7:204] So, if a group of people are in a car and one of them plays a recorder with a Qur'an tape, is it obligatory for everyone to listen to this tape? And does the one who speaks while the tape is playing commit a sin?
The Shaykh : Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said regarding this verse:[Al-A'raf 7:204]: "This is in prayer". He said: "They agreed that this applies in prayer." Based on this, if I am next to someone who is reciting the Qur'an aloud, and I am engaged in specific dhikr, such as tasbih and tahlil, I am not obligated to listen to him; rather, that is only in prayer. However, I say to the brother who played the recorder: Do not play it while the people are heedless, because the least we can say about this is that it resembles what Allah said about those who: [Fussilat 41:26] If you see your brothers not wanting to listen, and they are only occupied with conversations among themselves, do not play the recorder. And if you are longing for this, there is a small earpiece that you can put in your ear, so let the sound be for you alone.
And with this, this meeting ends, and until a future meeting, if Allah wills, next week. And Glory be to You, O our Lord, and praise be to You. I testify that there is no god but You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You. And peace be upon you all, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
So when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy.
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنْصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَThe Shaykh : Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said regarding this verse:
So when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنْصِتُواAnd those who disbelieve say, "Do not listen to this Qur'an and speak noisily during [the recitation of] it that perhaps you will overcome."
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لا تَسْمَعُوا لِهَذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَالْغَوْا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَغْلِبُونَAnd with this, this meeting ends, and until a future meeting, if Allah wills, next week. And Glory be to You, O our Lord, and praise be to You. I testify that there is no god but You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You. And peace be upon you all, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.