Telephones have become an important tool in our daily lives. Mobile telephones and pagers are now very common because they provide a means to contact a person at anytime, wherever that person happens to be.
This is something that could be very convenient. However, when we go into mosques for a congregational prayer, or for Friday prayer, we have to be fully attentive to our worship. If people were to answer the telephone while they are in the mosque, they could disturb others who wish to concentrate on their prayer, or their reading of the Qur’an, or to listen to the sermon, or khutbah. Hence, people should switch off their mobile phones, pagers and similar tools when they go into the mosque.
This is important even if there happens to be no one else in the mosque when the person concerned is offering his prayers. One does not need to be disturbed in his prayer by a telephone ring. Even if he is a doctor who happens to be on call by his hospital, he should be more careful than to leave his pager on while he is in the mosque.
He can very easily telephone the hospital before going into the mosque and tell them that he would be in the mosque for the next ten or fifteen minutes, and they should keep his calls for the time being. Only in extreme emergencies the mobile telephone may be used in the mosque. But most people do not have such emergencies, and yet they leave their mobiles and pagers on while they are in the mosque. This causes much disturbance. It should not be done.