Should the Imam Lower His Recitation If Music Is Heard During Prayer?
Shafi'i Fiqh
Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Question
If music is heard during an audible prayer, should the recitation be lowered or continued aloud?
For example, if a phone rings during Fajr, Maghrib, or Isha, should the imam pause or continue reciting as normal?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
All praise is due to Allah. Blessings and peace be upon His final Messenger, Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace).
In short, music or other outside sounds do not affect the prayer’s validity or require the imam to lower his recitation. The prayer should continue as usual. Allah knows best.
The Quran Takes Precedence
If music or any external sound is heard during an audible prayer, such as Fajr, Maghrib, or Isha, the imam should continue reciting aloud as normal.
The recitation of the Quran is not lowered or altered because of outside noise. Rather, other sounds should yield to the Quran, not the other way around.
Allah Most High says, “When the Quran is recited, listen to it attentively and remain silent so that you may be shown mercy.” [Quran, 7:204]
External Sounds Do Not Affect the Prayer
A person in prayer is not legally affected by conversations or recitation occurring outside the prayer. Just as one does not prostrate for a verse of prostration recited outside one’s own prayer, one does not alter the prayer due to incidental disturbances.
If a phone rings with music, the imam should not lower his recitation in deference to it. The sanctity of the Quran remains primary.
Pausing to Regain Focus
If the imam is truly distracted and loses focus for a moment, he can pause briefly to regain his concentration before continuing. This pause is meant to help him focus, not to give the noise importance.
A Necessary Reminder About Ringtones
While it is understandable that we may occasionally forget to place our phones on silent, what is far less excusable is deliberately choosing ringtones that contain unlawful music.
The majority of scholars have held that certain categories of music are impermissible, even if there are differences of opinion regarding some forms. It is deeply inappropriate for such sounds to resound within the mosque, particularly during prayer.
Masjid is a place of reverence, and the ringtone we choose reflects our priorities.
This should serve as a reminder to all of us to show greater care, dignity, and respect for the sanctity of the mosque and the prayer.
And Allah knows best.
I hope this is helpful, and I pray that Allah guides us all.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Related Answers
- Is It Enough for the Imam To Whisper Aloud During the Prayer? — Explains the minimum audible level required for the imam’s recitation in loud prayers.
- What Is Considered Loud Recitation or Quiet Recitation? — Clarifies the juristic distinction between loud and silent recitation in prayer.
Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan (Allah have mercy on him), where he taught.
Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Shaykh Muhammad Awama, Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Hitu, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.
He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has been the Director of the Discover Islam Centre, and for six years, he has been the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.
Shaykh Irshaad has fifteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic podcast, education, and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy Prophetic living and fitness.
