What is the ruling on one who enters the mosque and occupies himself with idle talk and conversation until the iqamah is called?
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The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, and may prayers and peace be upon the noblest of the prophets and messengers.
What is your opinion of those who, when they come to the mosque to perform the prayer, occupy themselves with idle talk and conversation among themselves until the iqamah is called?
The Shaykh : Do they pray the greeting of the mosque?
The questioner : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : If they pray the greeting of the mosque, and they pray the rawatib if the prayer has a rawatib before it, then the best is for them to occupy themselves with the Qur'an, and to occupy themselves with tasbih and with anything that benefits them, because they remain in a state of prayer as long as they are waiting for the prayer. If they occupy themselves with other talk, we look at it: if it is from what is forbidden, then their speaking of it while they are in the mosque and waiting for the prayer is a greater sin. And if it is from the permissible matters, then there is no harm in that, as long as they do not disturb others. If they disturb others, then it is not permissible for them to disturb the Muslims.
The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, and may prayers and peace be upon the noblest of the prophets and messengers.
What is your opinion of those who, when they come to the mosque to perform the prayer, occupy themselves with idle talk and conversation among themselves until the iqamah is called?
The Shaykh : Do they pray the greeting of the mosque?
The questioner : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : If they pray the greeting of the mosque, and they pray the rawatib if the prayer has a rawatib before it, then the best is for them to occupy themselves with the Qur'an, and to occupy themselves with tasbih and with anything that benefits them, because they remain in a state of prayer as long as they are waiting for the prayer. If they occupy themselves with other talk, we look at it: if it is from what is forbidden, then their speaking of it while they are in the mosque and waiting for the prayer is a greater sin. And if it is from the permissible matters, then there is no harm in that, as long as they do not disturb others. If they disturb others, then it is not permissible for them to disturb the Muslims.