—not so that it should be turned into a mere holding signal on telephones and similar devices.

Moreover, the person who calls you might be someone who does not revere the Quran at all; he is unconcerned with it and finds it burdensome to hear any part of Allah’s Book. A Christian, a Jew, or another non-Muslim may also ring; on hearing the recitation he may imagine it to be a song, since he is unfamiliar with it—and he may not even understand Arabic. Without doubt this is a debasement of the Quran. Anyone who installs the Quran for the purpose of keeping callers on hold must be advised and told, “Fear Allah; the speech of Allah is far too noble to be used as a waiting tool.”

If, however, the on-hold message consists of a well-known maxim or an authenticated saying of the Prophet ﷺ, there is no harm in that—for example: “Part of a man’s excellence in Islam is that he leaves what does not concern him”; “Leave what makes you doubt for what does not make you doubt”; “Whoever avoids the doubtful has protected his religion and his honour”; “Follow a bad deed with a good one and it will erase it”; “Deal with people with good character”; and other such beneficial statements. One might also use lines of wisdom such as: “If the only mount available is the point of a spear, what choice has the one in distress but to ride it?” In short, edifying maxims are many and varied.

But to turn the words of the Lord of all worlds—sent down to reform hearts, deeds, individuals and societies—into a mere device for callers to wait on the telephone? Glorified is Allah! The Quran is far too exalted for that. And Allah alone guides to the straight path.