بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Shaikh bin Baz was asked, “Is it permissible to talk to someone whilst in the middle of reciting the Qur’an?”

The shaikh answered, “We are not aware of any harm in that, however the fact that he continues in recitation and ponders and concentrates and his heart is focussed is superior rather than breaking off to speak to others, this is better unless there was a need to speak in which case he can do so and then return to his recitation, such as returning the salam upon the one who initiated it upon him, or repeating after the mu’adhin upon hearing the adhan, he remains silent during the adhan and repeats, or replying to the one who sneezes; such sunnah acts are befitting to be implemented by the believer and not to become slack in them. Similarly if he required to ask his family to do something or someone approached and made a request of him such that he must break off and respond etc, affairs of this nature there is no harm.

As for speech with no benefit in it then it is better to leave it in order to focus and concentrate on the recitation of the Qur’an, as Allah stated in surat Sad:29, the meaning of which is,“(This is) a Book (the Quran) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember”, and it is known that speech with no benefit in it preoccupies the heart and weakens the ability to ponder and focus”.

[Based on a Fatwa from Shaikh bin Baz’s Official Website]