According to Maulana Sa'd of the Tablighi Jamaat, Salaat performed with a cellphone in one's pocket is not valid.

Answer

Molvi Sa'd is no longer a Maulana on account of his deviant ideology. Some of his propagations are tantamount to kufr. A Maulana is one who protects our Deen and Imaan. But Molvi Sa'd has chosen the path of deviation. Whilst this is so, his view on the cellphone issue is valid.

The senior Muftis have not applied their minds constructively by having enumerated his cellphone view among his other grave ideas of aberration. There is strong support in the Hadith for the fatwa regarding Molvi's Sa'd's cellphone view. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:

"The person who plays nard (backgammon / chess), then stands to perform Salaat is like one who makes wudhu with pus and the blood of a swine, then performs Salaat. His Salaat is not accepted."

According to the Hadith, playing chess/backgammon is like dipping the hands in the blood of a pig. The Salaat performed immediately after playing chess, is rejected by Allah Ta'ala. This is a severe warning to impress on the Muslim's mind the evil and notoriety of these kuffaar games. The Salaat is not accepted despite the fact that the chessboard is not on the musalli's person whilst performing Salaat. After completing his sin, he makes wudhu, then engages in Salaat – Salaat which is rejected because of the gravity of the evil in which he had indulged just prior to the Salaat.

A thousand times worse than chess is the cellphone which is for most people a shaitaani device of pornography, haraam movies, striking up zina relationships, etc. When Salaat is rejected after having indulged in chess, then to a greater degree will the Salaat be rejected with the satanic porn device in one's pocket.

As for the meaning of "not accepted" mentioned in the Hadith, there is scope for interpretation. According to some Fuqaha, it means the negation of the thawaab (reward) and benefits of the Salaat. Others again say that it also means invalidity- the Salaat is not even valid. According to the Hanafi Math-hab, the Salaat will be valid, but is flung into the face of the musalli as if it is a dirty piece of cloth. The reward and benefits of the Salaat are destroyed. This ruling applies to only those who use their cellphones for haraam programs of muck and filth.

It is also a sign of spiritual darkness that a person will stand in Allah's Presence in Salaat with a device he used for pornography and haraam. It should also be remembered that it is not permissible to load any Aayat of the Qur'aan Majeed or any Hadith on a cellphone used for any haraam and shaitaani programs. On the cellphone mas'alah, Molvi Sa'd cannot be faulted. He is correct.