Question:
If one cell phone rings in Salaah in the Masjid, what should one do? Is it allowed to turn it off?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
One must make sure that the cell phone is switched off or at least put on silent before entering the Masjid. The ringing of one’s phone is a disturbance to those in the Masjid, highly disrespectful and against the sanctity of the House of Allah. Many people are neglectful in this issue
Musical ringtones are not permissible at all times and it is even a bigger crime when it rings in the Masjid.
If one forgot to switch off the phone and it rings while engaged in Salaah; if it can be switched off with minimum movement (by pressing a button) then do so immediately and the Salaah will not break.
If excessive movement is required to switch the phone off then do so but the Salaah will break and will have to be restarted. It is better to break one’s own Salaah to switch the phone off than disturbing others and violating the sanctity of the Masjid.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Arshad Ali
Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom (Trinidad)