He carries loads of books—tomes upon tomes—yet gains nothing from them. The likeness is that the attendee who speaks gains no benefit from the sermon because he talked. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ also said, “Whoever says to him, ‘Be silent’—that is, tries to hush him—has himself lapsed into idle talk.” To lapse into idle talk (laghw) means forfeiting the reward of Friday, and the matter is therefore serious.

Hence his further statement: “Whoever touches the pebbles has lapsed into idle talk.” In the Prophet’s time the mosque floor was strewn with tiny pebbles—about the size of lentils, a little larger or smaller—serving the same purpose as the carpets we spread today. Some people would fidget with those pebbles, turning them over or smoothing them with their hands. Regarding this the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever touches the pebbles has lapsed into idle talk,” for such fidgeting distracts one from listening to the sermon. Whoever engages in idle talk has no Friday—meaning he is deprived of the special reward with which this community has been favored over others.

If this ruling applies to touching pebbles, it likewise applies to anyone who fidgets with something else: clicking a pen, playing with a watch, twirling a handheld fan without need, or toying with a tooth-stick while the imam is preaching—unless there is a genuine need, such as drowsiness overtaking him and he uses the tooth-stick to drive sleep away. In that case there is no harm, because it helps him listen attentively to the sermon. We have been asked about a person who writes down what he hears during the sermon, since some people forget and say, “Whenever a point passes by…"