Is It Compulsory To Listen To The Recitation Of The Qur’an? Is It Permissible To Perform Prayer While The Qur’an Is Being Recited?

Is it compulsory to listen to the recitation of the Qur’an? Is it permissible to perform prayer while the Qur’an is being recited?

A Muslim should listen to it when the Qur’an is being recited. Because it is stated in the Holy Qur’an, “So when the Qur’an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy.” (A’raf, 7/204).

Although Muslims need to listen to the Holy Qur’an without speaking when it is recited, scholars have put forward different opinions on whether it is fardh or whether this judgment is absolute if it is fardh. According to the opinion of some scholars, it is always fardh to listen to the Qur’an when it is being recited. According to some others, the verse above does not bear the meaning of an obligation but a recommendation (nadb). According to some, the verse is only about listening only to the Qur’an recited in the prayer and it is mustahab to listen to the Qur’an recited outside of prayer (Abus-suud, Irshad, II, 459).

In the Hanafi school, there are two opinions about the ruling on listening to the Qur’an that is recited outside of prayer. One of them states that it is fardh al-‘ayn (individual obligation) while the other says that it is a fardh al-kifayah (communal obligation). According to those who say that it is a fardh al-kifayah, if there are other people who listen to it in the place where Qur’an is being recited, the others will not be responsible for listening. Moreover, according to the both opinions, those who do not listen to the Qur’an while it is being recited due to an excuse will not be responsible for it. It is stated that if someone recites the Qur’an especially in places such as bazaar, workplace, etc. where people are busy with their jobs, not those who do not listen to it but the person who recites the Qur’an near them will have committed a sin (Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, II, 268).

Accordingly, it is permissible to establish prayer in a mosque without distracting anyone while the Qur’an is being recited aloud.

Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWAS