When does listening to recordings of the Qur’ān count as a form of worship? Shaykh Saalih al-'Usayme

Question: When does listening to recordings of the Qur’ān count as a form of worship?

Answer: Listening to the recordings (of the Qur’ān) is a form of worship when a person undertakes to do that with the intention of listening, and listening is (actualized) when a slave gives ear with the intention of listening (attentively).As for mere (inattentive) listening to the Qur’ān, then this is not listening for which a slave is to be rewarded. So it is incumbent upon whoever wants to attain the reward for listening to the Qur’ān when he plays any of those recordings to listen (attentively) to them. As for the one who plays (a recording of) the Qur’ān, for instance, when sleeping saying: I want to sleep while listening to the Qur’ān, so he leaves the sound playing and then sleeps while the sound is still running, this person does not attain the reward for listening (to the Qur’ān), and it is not befitting for a slave to do that. For when a person is sleeping, the Qur’ān recording has to be closed and should not be heard, for (otherwise) it would be useless and of no benefit. A person has to brace himself for the Qur’ān if he wants to listen to it and be rewarded for that, and when he is done with it, he closes it. Then if he wishes, he can leave or sleep.

Translated by Abdulali al-Maghribi