FatwaFederal TerritoriesPrayer (Salah)
IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE-811: HUKUM MEMBALAS WHATSAPP KETIKA KHUTBAH
What is the ruling on replying to WhatsApp messages while the khatib is delivering the Friday sermon, even briefly to stay awake?
Short answer
Listening to the Friday sermon is recommended (sunat). Any act that disrupts attention to the sermon, including using a phone to reply to WhatsApp, is disliked (makruh) and forfeits the reward of Friday prayer, even if done to fight drowsiness.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Irsyad al-Hukum (Umum)
- Topic
- Prayer (Salah)
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Listening to the Friday sermon is recommended (sunat). Any act that disrupts attention to the sermon, including using a phone to reply to WhatsApp, is disliked (makruh) and forfeits the reward of Friday prayer, even if done to fight drowsiness. For drowsiness, the hadith advises moving to another seat, or changing one's sitting posture if space is limited.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Termasuk dalam perkara yang menghilangkan tumpuan mendengar khutbah ialah bermain telefon seperti whatsapp atau lainnya sekalipun untuk tujuan menghilangkan rasa mengantuk.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE-811: HUKUM MEMBALAS WHATSAPP KETIKA KHUTBAH”, 7 December 2023. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-hukum/umum/5798-irsyad-al-fatwa-siri-ke-811-hukum-membalas-whatsapp-ketika-khutbah. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-replying-whatsapp-during-friday-sermon/