The Cellphone Usage In The Masaajid
A brother writes:
I have noticed 2 things openly prevalent in our local Musjids recently –
1. Alhamdolilah, there is no shortage of printed Qurans in the Musjids, yet
some musallis are putting their cellphones on silent, and using their cellphones inside the Musjid to read Quran. And messages, calls can come through when this same phone is on silent. In addition, there is a very high probability that animate pictography, icons and other peoples messaging profile pictures (commonly animate pictures) are downloaded and stored on these phones. Furthermore, impermissible pictures or profile photos can appear automatically on the screen in these devices inside the Musjid (for example, when a new message is received).
I (a layman) was surprised, observing an Imam reading a Jumuah khutbah in the Musjid from his own smartphone…now how does someone tell the person sitting next to him to switch his phone off, when this is the example set by the Imam himself…
2. Instead of being switched off, some cellphones are put on silent and being openly used for instant messaging (generally have a high content of animate pictures) by both adults and teenagers in our local musaajid immediately before and after fardh salah. This texting has become so common and ‘brazen’, that it appears that answering cellphone calls will become the next norm in the Musjids.
Most people do not even understand the effect of harmful radiation these devices emit or receive at close proximity to the human body, let alone subjecting the person sitting next to them and the Musjid to it. In my simple opinion, there could also be great spiritual harm associated with this type of radiation.
While reading the Quran on a cellphone could be permissible outside of the Musjid, it sets a precedent of being able to use the cellphone for other purposes inside the Musjid simply by others observing some musallis reading Quran on it.
Most of the local Musjids already have ‘switch off or no cell phone’ signage, but this doesnt seem to work because people are still using their cellphones ignorantly.
Perhaps, what used to be done back in the day, needs to be re-introduced. And, that was the regular reminder by our older Imams who would announce before each salah to switch off all phones completely (and not on silent).
If you feel it is appropriate to address this on your website or other communication, then please feel free to edit and post as you need, for the sanctity of our Musjids, and for our communities benefit. (The Musjid could curse such people for introducing animate pictures into the Musjid and for partaking in futile instant messaging conversations in the Musjid).
JazakAllah khairan
(End of the brother’s comments)