This was a recent Q&A that I received via email. Details below:

If anyone forget to swithoff / Silent mode to the mobile before proceeding the Salaah then, anyone called us during we are in the state of Salaah. 

1. Can we press any one key in the state of Salaah to stop the ring tone?  Whether our Salaah will be valid if we will press anyone of key in the state of Salaah? 

2. Or else can we break the Salaah and switched off mobile and then again repeat our Salaah.

NOTE:

THIS WILL BE ONLY IF ANYONE FORGET / UNKNOWINGLY TO SWITHCOFF THE MOBILE PHONE.

Answer:

Making sure that ones mobile phone/cell phone is switched off before commencing salaat cannot be emphasised enough. There should be signs on the entrance of the masjid as well as inside the masjid to remind the musallis to turn off their phones. However, since, by nature, humans tend to forget, it is probable that one may forget to switch off ones phone every now and then. Therefore, one should take extra steps in order to safeguard oneself from spoiling his own salaat as well as that of the others in the masjid if the phone does unexpectedly start ringing while he is engaged in salaat.

Hereunder are some suggestions:

– Keep your phone on silent mode all the time. (If not sure how, ask someone)

– If feature available, set your phone to automatically turn to silent mode during the salaat times.

– Use least intrusive ring tone such as a small beep every few seconds, or sound of flowing water, or sound of chirping bird etc.

– Turn ring tone volume to minimum

– Never use music as ring tone. Music is forbidden even outside masjid. Music in the house of Allah is utter and utmost disrespect and a great sin.

– Make a habit of placing the phone in your pocket in such a way that you can easily and swiftly press the cancel button if it does ring during salaat.

– Make a habit of leaving your phone at home or in your car before going to the masjid. Remember that mobile phones did not exist two decades ago. If people since time immemorial survived without mobile phones, so can we!

Now, let’s come to your queries:

1. If one is engaged in salaat and his mobile phone starts ringing in his pocket, his salaat will still be valid if he presses a button on his phone to cancel the ringing or to switch off the phone. However, he should ensure that when he does this, he does not do amal katheer (much movement), otherwise his salaat will become invalid. Amal katheer is that an onlooker who sees him in the act from a distance becomes certain that he is not in salaat. Using both hands to cancel the ringing is amal katheer. Similarly, moving ones hand from its normal place in salaat to his phone three times successively is also amal katheer. If there is a gap between two movements in which subhaana rabbiyal a’laa (سبحان ربي الأعلى) can be recited three times, then the movements will not be counted as successive and, hence, the salaat will be valid. Similarly, if one moves his hand from its normal place in salaat to his phone once and then presses a few buttons successively (in order to cancel the ringing or to switch the phone off), it will be counted as one movement, and hence, his salaat will be valid.

In short, if ones phone starts to ring in salaat and it causes distraction, he must switch off the phone or cancel the ringing with one hand and in a swift and appropriate manner as described above so that it does not appear to the onlooker that he is not in salaat.

However, if the phone is on silent mode, for example, or if the volume of the phone is really low, and the ringing does not distract him at all in his salaat, then he should not attempt to press the button in salaat, otherwise it will be tantamount to making unnecessary movements in salaat. Unnecessary movement in salaat, even if it is only one movement, is makrooh tahreemi. Doing a makrooh tahreemi act in salaat necessitates (makes wajib) repetition of the salaat.

2. If his phone starts ringing in salaat and the ringing is distractive in such a way that he is unable to concentrate and also he is unable to cancel the ringing in the manner described above, then it is compulsory (wajib) for him to break his salaat, turn his phone off, and offer his salaat again.

Rasulullah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) has said that “It is not permissible for one who believes in Allah and the Last Day to offer salaat while he is holding back urine until he relieves himself.” (Abu Dawood). Based on this, the jurists say that it is makrooh tahreemi to offer ones salaat while one has the urge to relieve himself when it distracts him from salaat. This is even if the urge did not exist before and, rather, comes after commencing the salaat. In such a case it is wajib (compulsory) to break his salaat, relieve himself and offer the salaat again (provided that there is enough time for him to repeat his salaat after having relieved himself). If he does not break his salaat and instead completes it, he will be committing a sin and it will be necessary for him to repeat his salaat.

This ruling is applicable even in a Fardh (compulsory) salaat. And since a person who is distracted by the ringing of his phone is similar to the one who is distracted by holding back urine, the same ruling will apply in both cases. In other words, if ones phone starts ringing in salaat in such a way that it distracts him and prevents him from concentrating in salaat and he is unable to cancel the ringing as mentioned previously, it is wajib (compulsory) on him to break his salaat, switch off the phone, and offer the salaat again.

In short, if ones phone starts ringing in salaat and the ringing distracts him from concentrating in salaat, then he should try to cancel the ringing in the manner described in the answer to question one. If he cannot do so, then he should break his salaat, switch off his phone, and offer his salaat again.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Wassalaamu `alaykum

Ml. Faizal Riza

Correspondence Iftaa Student, Australia

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In’aamiyyah

http://www.askimam.org