RECKLESS USE OF MICROPHONES IN SALAAT
A Brother, justly irritated and angered by the reckless and haraam use of microphones in Salaat, writes:
“The following I have written following so much annoyance at the disturbances in salaat with the mic.
The use of the mic in Fardh salaat in masaajid A layman’s perspective……
The views penned herein are shared and influenced by a leading and well known Aalim who has repeatedly drawn attention to the reprehensible superfluity of this unessential instrument in salaat in focus here.
That the use of the mic in salaat is an extraneous and detractive addition is without doubt and regardless of how embellished & innocuous it may appear, it defiles the naturalness and tranquility of the salaat but also derogates from the sacrosanct rigidness of the laws pertaining to salaat and other Ibadat.
How many times musallies have had to endure the vexation of unnecessary amplified sound in salaat, affecting concentration & Khushoo, exacerbated by the very often, return of the loudspeaker sound to the microphone creating the high pitched, highly disturbing and annoying piercing sound.
Granted that the extraneous item may understandably be necessary in huge congregations. However, to employ the use of same willy-nilly throughout regardless, smacks of ostentatious vanity. How else may we interpret & justify the most times unnecessary inclusion of this unessential in salaat ? Please educate me.
I have recently learned of the refusal to employ the use of the mic in the Markaz of Nizammuddin in Delhi despite being amply justified to use same. Clearly it appears that the learned administration understood the implication of the unhallowed inclusion of the device which has degenerated to such a level that the omission of the use of same would appear to be impermissible.”
(End of the Brother’s letter)
Salaat is pure Ibaadat of the highest pedestal. It is the Fundamental Pillar upholding the entire edifice of Islam. The introduction of the microphone into this lofty act of Ibaadat is a mockery of Salaat – a mockery of Allah Azza Wa Jal. It is a device which eliminates khushu’ and khudoo’ in entirety. It is never permissible to use this device during Salaat. The prohibition is emphasized and aggravated when the instrument is recklessly employed to disturb the peace of mind of the musallis. In fact, in innumerable cases, even from the layman’s perspective, the use of the loudspeaker in Salaat is absolutely unnecessary.
In even small Musjids when there is just one or a half saff, and even in the Sirri Salaat (Zuhr and Asr), this confounded device is used. In some cases the device is of a type which constrains the stupid imaam to odiously, stupidly execute clownish writhing movements of his body to ensure that his voice reaches the microphone when changing postures. Thus, he ruins and nullifies his Salaat and the Salaat of the whole Jamaat.
In the unanimous opionion of our Akaabir Ulama, it is not permissible to use the loudspeaker in Salaat regardless of the number of musallis and the size of the Musaajid. Large Musaajid in which thousands of people perform Salaat had existed in Islam since the very early era, from the Khairul Quroon. How did they perform Salaat without the confounded microphone?
For fourteen centuries Salaat was performed in large Musaajid and in the Haramain Shareefain and at Arafaat without the microphone device. Hearing the imaam’s recitation is not a condition for the validity of Salaat. The Mukabbireen to announce the changing of the postures with Takbeer are correctly and vantageously positioned to ensure the smooth progress of the Salaat.
Imaams and trustees of the Musaajid should acquit themselves with greater responsibility regarding the sanctity of the Musaajid, the convenience and comfort of the musallis, and the demands of the Shariah. The haraam confounded devices should be eliminated from the Musaajid.
17 Safar 1444 – 14 September 2022