Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 204

(Ayah 204) {وَ اِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْاٰنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوْا لَهٗ …:} After mentioning the greatness of the Quran, now the etiquette for benefiting from it is being indicated, that at the time of its recitation, listening attentively and remaining silent is necessary, so listen with attention and silence, so that Allah’s mercy may be bestowed upon you. This is an admonition to those disbelievers afflicted with stubbornness and hostility, whose mention has been ongoing, and who always demand new miracles, and when the Quran is recited, they create noise and prevent others from listening, and try to gain dominance through this absurd method, as Allah Almighty has said in Surah Ha Meem Sajdah (26): “And those who disbelieve said, ‘Do not listen to this Quran and make noise in it, so that you may prevail.’” In this verse, three things are mentioned that the disbelievers said: first, do not listen to this Quran; second, make noise in it; third, so that you may prevail. In response, in the verse under commentary in Surah Al-A’raf: «{ وَ اِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْاٰنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوْا لَهٗ }», three things are instructed, so in response to {’’ لَا تَسْمَعُوْا لِهٰذَا الْقُرْاٰنِ ‘‘}, it is said {’’ فَاسْتَمِعُوْا ‘‘}, meaning listen attentively, and in response to {’’ وَ الْغَوْا فِيْهِ ‘‘}, meaning make noise, it is said {’’ اَنْصِتُوْا ‘‘}, meaning remain silent, and in response to {’’ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَغْلِبُوْنَ ‘‘}, it is said {’’ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُوْنَ ‘‘}, so that mercy may be shown to you. The meaning is that when the Quran is recited to you, instead of making noise, listen attentively and silently. This command is general, whether disbelievers or Muslims, everyone should listen to the Quran with attention. Especially in prayer and the Friday sermon, remaining silent is obligatory, for which there are proofs in hadith. However, if someone is reciting the Quran on their own, it is not necessary for everyone to leave everything and listen, otherwise the recitation of the Quran from a mosque’s loudspeaker would be enough to make the whole locality fall silent. Some people use this verse to argue that Surah Al-Fatihah should not be recited behind the Imam, but this argument is completely misplaced, because this verse is Makki and the previous context is addressing the polytheists, so the coherence of the Quran demands that here too the polytheists are addressed. Even if this verse is considered general, according to the principles of jurisprudence, the hadith [لاَ صَلَاةَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَقْرَأْ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ ] (which Imam Bukhari has declared mutawatir) will specify Surah Al-Fatihah, because without it, the prayer of the Imam, the individual, or the follower is not valid. If the follower recites without raising his voice, it is not against silence.

Just as the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded to remain silent and listen attentively during the Friday sermon, yet in Sahih Muslim (59/875), it is narrated from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet said: “If any of you comes on Friday while the Imam is delivering the sermon, he should pray two rak’ahs and make them brief.” Now, obviously, his praying two rak’ahs is not against silence, otherwise in this authentic hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would not have commanded every person who comes during the sermon to pray two rak’ahs, but due to the Prophet’s command, upon coming during the sermon, two rak’ahs must be prayed, similarly, Al-Fatihah must be recited behind the Imam and silence will also be maintained. It is astonishing that some people even at that time order the follower not to recite anything when the Imam is not reciting aloud. Tell me! What connection does this verse have with that? Then some of our brothers, while listening to the Imam’s recitation, keep praying the Sunnah of Fajr, but at that time they do not remember this verse, and the most astonishing thing is that according to them, Surah Al-Fatihah is not obligatory in prayer for the Imam, the individual, or the follower. The prayer will be valid by reciting any one verse of the Quran. Tell me! Then the statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that “Whoever does not recite Surah Al-Fatihah, his prayer is not valid”—if this is not for the Imam, the individual, or the follower, then who is being addressed?

24. 1. This is being said to those disbelievers who used to make noise during the recitation of the Quran and would say to their companions (لَا تَسْمَعُوْا لِھٰذَا الْقُرْاٰنِ وَالْـغَوْا فِيْهِ) 41. Fussilat:26) Do not listen to this Quran and make noise. They were told that instead, if you listen attentively and remain silent, perhaps Allah will grant you guidance. And thus you will become deserving of Allah's mercy.

204. And when the Quran is recited, listen to it attentively and remain silent [202], so that you may be shown mercy.

[202]
Listening to the Quran is a Source of Mercy:

Just as the polytheists of Makkah had imposed restrictions on the Muslims that they could neither enter the House of Allah to perform prayers nor perform Tawaf, similarly, they had also imposed the restriction that Muslims should not recite the Quran aloud during prayer, because in this way their children and women could not remain unaffected by the Quran. Secondly, they had made an agreement among themselves that none of them would listen to the Quran. Although, due to the eloquence, rhetoric, and sweet style of the Quran, they themselves, being affected, would sometimes violate this strategy and listen to the Quran. And their third strategy to prevent the message of the Quran was that wherever the Quran was being recited, they would create a lot of noise and commotion so that the sound of the Quran would not reach anyone’s ears; in this way, they thought they could succeed in their mission. [41: 26] In this context, Allah Almighty said to abandon this approach and listen attentively to see what teachings are being given; perhaps you too may become a part of that mercy which has already been granted to the believers. In the face of the opponents’ hostile activities, this is such a heart-touching style of preaching from which a caller to the truth can learn many lessons.

Listening to the Quran in Silence:

The command given in this verse is general for both Muslims and non-Muslims, and from this it is also inferred that wherever the Quran is being recited and listened to, the mercy of Allah descends there. In this regard, a question also arises as to whether, when the Imam is reciting in audible prayers, the followers should also recite Surah Al-Fatihah in their hearts along with him or not. Although some scholars have differed on this issue, in our opinion, the hadith mentioned in footnote 1 of Surah Al-Fatihah holds the decisive ruling in this matter.