Q9: As long as the Qur’an is being recited, is it obligatory to listen—no matter who the reciter is?!

Questioner: Kikotsu light, January 15, 2014

 

Peace be upon you, our dear Shaykh,
I have a question, and to be honest, I am quite confused. I was listening to verses from the Holy Qur’an on my phone when my father walked in and began to scold me, because the recitation was by a reciter who, according to him, appeared to be Salafi. He said that they dance to such recitations. I didn’t believe him at first, and to this day I still don’t know the truth. But I do know that I am deeply moved when I hear those verses—sometimes I even cry. It’s hard to believe that something that brings me such joy could be spiritually harmful.

My father continued to scold me and told me not to listen to anyone other than Shaykh Abdul Basit Abdul Samad, even though he too is Sunni. I don’t think the recitations of those I listen to—Ahmad Al-Ajmi (who is likely Salafi) and Yasser Al-Dosari (who seems to be a moderate Sunni)—contain any kind of musical melody or impermissible intonation.

I am truly in need of a decisive and conclusive opinion on this matter. I do not want to be among those who err while thinking they are doing well.

Here are two links: one for Ahmad Al-Ajmi and the other for Yasser Al-Dosari. I hope you can listen—even briefly—to determine if there’s anything inappropriate in their style of Qur’anic recitation.

This clip is by Ahmad Al-Ajmi:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsRln2lBxz8&app=desktop

This clip is by Yasser Al-Dosari:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWjPjCSI3Kw&app=desktop

I apologize if my request is burdensome, and thank you for everything

THE RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION:

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon the Seal of the Prophets and upon his pure family and noble companions.

As for what follows:
Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.

Listening to the recitation of the Qur’an is not something that any school of thought either categorically permits or forbids. As long as the Qur’an is being recited, it is obligatory to listen—no matter who the reciter is.

Allah the Exalted says:

So when the Qur’an is recited, listen to it and be silent that you may receive mercy. _{—[Surah Al-A’raf, 7:204]}

There is no restriction in the verse regarding who the reciter must be. It is simply a command to listen and be silent, without any condition tied to the reciter’s personal qualities, legal school, or religious orientation.

Among the reported rewards for listening to the Qur’an is what has been narrated from Imam Al-Husayn ^{(peace be upon him)}:

“And whoever listens to the Qur’an, Allah will write for him one good deed for every letter…”1

It is obligatory to venerate and honor the Qur’an by refraining from speech when it is being recited—whether it is recited by someone obedient or sinful, even if that person knowingly commits sin by their recitation, such as reciting at a time when recitation is not allowed.

Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq ^{(peace be upon him)} commanded silence during the imam’s recitation in prayer. Even if you are praying behind an imam who accuses you of shirk (polytheism), you are still required to be silent during his recitation. And if you are leading others in prayer, and a person deliberately recites aloud to disrupt the prayer, it remains obligatory to be silent out of reverence for the Book of Allah.

“…From Mu‘awiyah ibn Wahb, who said: I asked Abu ‘Abd Allah [al-Sadiq] about a man leading others in prayer, and you are not pleased with him, in a prayer where the recitation is audible.
He said: ‘When you hear the Book of Allah being recited, then listen to it.’
I said: ‘But he testifies that I am a mushrik!’
He replied: ‘If he disobeys Allah, then you obey Allah…’
Indeed, ‘Ali (peace be upon him) was once praying the dawn prayer when Ibn al-Kawwa’ recited from behind him… ‘Ali remained silent out of reverence for the Qur’an until the verse was completed, then resumed his own recitation. Ibn al-Kawwa’ repeated the verse, and again ‘Ali fell silent, and again he recited. When Ibn al-Kawwa’ repeated it a third time, ‘Ali again remained silent… etc.”2

So if the Commander of the Faithful (‘Ali) fell silent in prayer out of reverence for the Qur’an, how much more so should we do so outside of prayer? And if that is the case in obligatory acts, then how can it not be applicable in matters where one is free to choose?

“…And above every possessor of knowledge is One more knowing.” —_{[Surah Yusuf, 12:76]}

And finally, all praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, and his companions.

Written by:
Tammam Ahmad
May 22, 2015 

• 1Al-Kafi by Al-Kulayni, 2/575. Chapter (276): The Reward of Reciting the Qur’an.
• 2Tahdhib al-Ahkam, 3/37, Hadith (127). Chapter (3): The Rulings on Congregational Prayer.