Imagine you and a friend sitting on the couch watching TV.  All of the sudden, your friend remembers that she needs to pray.  She jumps off the couch, makes wudu, and comes back into the room.  You, having already prayed, are sitting on the couch continuing to watch TV.  Your friend stands up, faces the qiblah, puts her hands to her ears, and says the takbir.

What do you do?  Turn the TV off?  Or leave it on?  Isn’t having the television on during salaah distracting for your friend?  And wouldn’t it be a courtesy to her to turn it off?  Or do you think that she should just have enough khushoo‘ to concentrate over the TV and that her imaan is strong enough to focus on her prayer.  You, after all, were sitting there first, and were enjoying whatever show was on.  And concentrating on her salaah is her duty, not yours.  You already fulfilled your obligation of praying, so now she must deal with the consequences of waiting, and having to pray in a loud environment.

You’re nicer than that, aren’t you?  And wouldn’t you agree that it’s easier for you to turn off the TV than it is for your friend to concentrate in her prayer?  We all know how hard it is to concentrate even when the room is quiet.

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