[Q 359] How Loud Are We To Recite in Prayer When It’s Noisy?

Question

At what surrounding noise level is one excused to not be able to hear himself reciting the Quran during Salah for his Salah to be accepted?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

During prayer (Salah/Namaz), as one recites the Qur’an or other forms of Dhikr, one must recite loud enough that, were there no noise or obstruction, he would be able to hear his own voice.
If one does recite with this much volume, but remains unable to hear himself due to noise or any obstruction, the prayer will still be valid. There’s no specific number of decibels listed as the criteria.

In Bahar-e-Shariat, it is stated that:
Translation: “During recitation (in prayer), one’s voice must be loud enough that, were there no obstructions such as a hearing impairment or noise, one would be able to hear himself. If the person’s voice is not loud enough for him to hear himself, then his prayer will not be valid.”

(Bahar-e-Shariat, Vol. 1, Pg. 544, Maktaba-tul-Madinah)

Answered by: Asif Raza Madani (Ask Mufti scholar)
Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari

Translated answer
Date: 24th May , 2024