Can Someone Offer Voluntary Prayers While Another Person Recites the Quran in a Mosque?

Shawkat Hossain

From email

Question: Before or after the obligatory prayers, many people sit in mosques and recite the Quran as an act of voluntary prayer. Some recite aloud, making the verses clearly audible, while others recite softly or silently.

If someone is reciting aloud, can other worshippers sitting nearby engage in voluntary acts of worship? I have heard that there is an instruction to listen when the Quran is recited. Our mosque is very small, and there is no other quiet place inside where the sound of Quran recitation cannot be heard.

Answer: Reciting the Quran is an individual act of worship. It is preferable not to recite aloud in places where other people are present. This is because if listeners are unable to pay attention to the recitation due to their own activities, the sin will fall on the person reciting.

However, when listeners are engaged in other acts of worship, they may not have the opportunity to listen to the Quran. In such cases, they will not be sinful for not listening.

It should also be remembered that the main purpose of this Quranic verse is to instruct worshippers to remain silent and listen attentively when the imam recites the Quran during prayers. The instruction to listen to Quran recitation in general applies to everyone, including the person reciting and the person offering voluntary prayers, as mentioned in your question.

Answered by: Allama Mufti Ubaidur Rahman Khan Nadvi

Source: Jameul Fatawa, Encyclopaedia of Islamic Jurisprudence and Fatwas.

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