💐 In The Name Of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful
💌 A person who seems distracted or preoccupied with their phone while you are trying to talk to them indirectly signals their gadget is more important than you, they don't care about what you're saying, or they're too toxic, unmannered, and unreliable to earn your trust. From the etiquettes of having effective one-on-one conversations is to put your cellphone aside, switch it off or turn it to silent mode temporarily, and fully focus on the person you're attempting to connect with, particularly if that individual happens to be your mother, father, spouse, child or sibling.
In special cases, it is reasonable to stare at your cellphone screen and busy yourself with typing or reading when:
1) ...you're in a meeting or conference and you want to lower your gaze, to avoid staring unnecessarily specifically at non-mahram guys.
2) ...you are attending a class or lecture with a male speaker, and instead of just admiring the walls or board, you occasionally check your cellphone to refrain from exchanging awkward glimpses with the ustadh or lecturer.
3) ...you look at your cellphone rather than rudely staring at somebody who is coping with an embarrassing situation e.g. they slipped on the ground, they're being scolded, or someone hung up on them during a phonecall.
Attentively listening to the person who is conversing with you is one of the noble practices of the beloved Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam which can contribute to better friendships, stronger bonds, and mutual respect.
📖 Ibn 'Abbas RadhiAllahu 'anhuma narrated: The Messenger of Allah SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam took a ring and put it on, then he said: "This distracted me from you all day, shifting my gaze from it to you (and back again)." Then he threw it away.
Grade: Sahih
Reference : Sunan An-Nasa'i 5289
In-book reference: Book 48, Hadith 250
English translation: Vol. 6, Book 48, Hadith 5291