Is it a condition for the descent of angels, mercy, and tranquility that the remembrance of Allah be communal, or does this include individual remembrance, and does the same ruling apply to listening to the Qur’an from a mobile phone or otherwise?

The reward for people gathering to recite and study the Quran – namely, the descent of tranquility (sakinah) and mercy, the encirclement by angels, and Allah’s mention of them to those with Him – does not apply to listening to audio recordings, even if the listener is alone. This is because a recorded sound is a narration, not a true recitation.

While listening to recorded Quran and admonitions has its reward and goodness, it does not equal the reward of actual recitation or direct presence.

Acts of worship that require an active performance from the doer, such as the adhan (call to prayer) and recitation, cannot be substituted by audio recordings, because a recording is a narration of a past event and not a present action.