The Sacred Book in Your Pocket: When Convenience Replaces Reverence

I go to the mosque. The Quran sits on shelves—physical books, available to anyone who wants to read. But more and more, I see people pulling out their smartphones instead.

This bothers me. Not because technology is bad. But because something fundamental is being lost when we reduce the sacred to an app on the same device we take to the bathroom.

The Excuses I've Heard

I've asked people why they read Quran on their phones instead of picking up the book. Here are the responses:

"It's easier. Plus, I have an app that helps me understand certain passages."

"I don't have time to get a physical Quran. There are people in front of me and I don't want to bother them. So I prefer my smartphone."

"I just prefer my smartphone. That's all."

I don't judge these people. Everyone makes their own choices. But I need to say what I see: These excuses reveal a deeper problem.

The Mathematical Contradiction

Here's my question: If you don't have money to buy the Sacred Book—the Quran—how do you have money to buy a smartphone, even the cheapest one?

This is completely contradictory.

You found hundreds of dollars for a device. But not fifteen dollars for a book?

It's not about money. It's about what we prioritize.

How Did They Do It Before?

Our ancestors wrote on everything they could find. Wood. Leaves. Anything that Allah created naturally.

That's where I find the force. The strength. Taking wood to write the Quran. Taking a leaf that comes from what Allah created naturally.

They didn't have "convenience." They had reverence.

The Toilet Question

This is what frustrates me most. You install apps to read or learn Quran from your smartphone. Fine.

But with that same smartphone, you go to the bathroom.

My question is simple: Would you take the Sacred Book—the physical Quran—into the bathroom with you?

The answer is either 0 (no) or 1 (yes). In mathematics, in code, it's binary. Everything else, I don't care about.

If your answer is no, then why is it acceptable on your phone?

The device doesn't change the content. If the Quran is sacred in a book, it's sacred on a screen. And if you wouldn't bring the book to the bathroom, you shouldn't bring the screen.

I'm Not Against Technology

Let me be clear: I'm not saying modern technology is bad. The opposite. I'm a huge geek and nerd. I've used the latest technology since I was very young.

But all of this comes from the fact that I spend time reading books. Moving to see. Going to ask questions to people who have lived experience on subjects I don't know.

That's what makes all the difference for me.

I'm not saying—and I don't judge—whether reading Quran on a smartphone is haram or not. I'm just saying I find it goes against my own respect for Allah and for learning what He offers us.

What This Reveals About Us

Books, in general, have no price. Yes, if I need to buy a book, I look for a cheaper alternative elsewhere because I'm not a millionaire.

But I'd rather buy a book than:

• Drink a toxic beverage
• Pay for a sandwich that comes from the industrial food world

We've decided that instant consumption matters more than lasting knowledge.

We say we have no money for books. But we find money for smartphones, subscriptions, apps, coffee, fast food.

The priority reveals the truth.

The Real Question

I don't know what the Hadith or Sunnah says specifically about this. But I know one thing:

If I don't have money for the Sacred Book, how do I have money for a device that I'll replace in two years?

The book lasts. It doesn't need updates. It doesn't break when you drop it. It doesn't need charging. It doesn't spy on you.

It just sits there. Waiting. Permanent. Sacred.

What We're Teaching Our Children

When we choose screens over books, we tell our children:

• Convenience matters more than reverence
• The sacred can be mixed with the mundane
• Apps are equivalent to physical connection

They watch us. They copy us. If they never see us hold a physical book, they won't hold one either.

The best thing to do is take a book and tell a story to our children every night before bed.

Don't make absurd excuses. You spend hours on your laptop or smartphone on social networks. But you can't take 15 minutes in the evening to read to your children?

That's what I find serious.

If you do it, your children will thank you later when they're adults.

The Choice Is Clear

I'm not telling anyone what to do. Each person makes their own choices.

But for me, I prefer to spend my time reading books. And Inshallah, I will spend time taking the Book—the Quran—between my hands. Not on a smartphone.

The sacred deserves more than an app icon among Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok.

It deserves your hands. Your eyes. Your full attention.

Not your distracted scrolling between notifications.