Question: Do we only respond to the mention of the Prophet’s name with صلى الله عليه السلام if the lecture is live, or also when it is a pre-recorded lecture?

Answer: As Muslims we know that when we hear the name of the Prophet (ﷺ), we should send salutations upon him as Allah says:

“Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace” [33:56]

And the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “May he be debased the one who does not send salutations on me when I am mentioned in his presence” [Saheeh at-Targheeb (no. 1680)]

As for sending salutations upon the Prophet (ﷺ) when hearing his name mentioned in a live lecture/broadcast, then a person should do so. Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (d. 1421 H.), may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Based on this, if you hear the Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned on this program (Noor ‘ala Darb-Light upon the Path), then send salutations upon him”. End. [Reference]

This also applies to when someone hears the Prophet’s (ﷺ) name when he is mentioned in a recorded lesson or lecture.

Shaikh Abdul-Kareem al-Khudayr (may Allah preserve him) said: “As for the salutations upon the Prophet (ﷺ), if it is heard from a recording, or from the radio, or other than that, then a person sends salutations upon him. This is because it is correct to say that the Prophet (ﷺ) was mentioned in the presence of that person, and so they must send salutations upon them. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘The miser is the one in whose presence I am mentioned yet does not pray for Allah’s blessings upon me’ [Sunan at-Tirmidhi (no. 3546)]. May peace and blessings be upon him”. End. [Reference]

And Allah knows best

Faisal bin Abdul Qaadir bin Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan