Touching the Qur'aan without Wudoo (ablution)

Ibn Qudamah, Hanbali, in Al-Mughni

مسألة: قال: ولا يمس المصحف إلا طاهر يعني طاهرا من الحدثين جميعا.

The Mushaf (copy of the Qur’aan) is not to be touched by anyone unless he is pure from both forms of ritual impurity (major and minor).

** روي هذا عن ابن عمر والحسن وعطاء وطاوس والشعبي والقاسم بن محمد وهو قول مالك والشافعي وأصحاب الرأي**

This opinion has been narrated from

Ibn Umar
Al-Hasan
‘ataa’
طاوس
Al-Qaasim bin Muhammad

It is also the opinion of Maalik, Al-Shaafi and the scholars of Al-Ra’y

، ولا نعلم مخالفا لهم إلا داود فإنه أباح مسه.

And we do not know of any opposition to them in this matter except from the side of Daawud. For indeed he allowed touching it.

واحتج بأن «النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - كتب في كتابه آية إلى قيصر.»

And he has drawn evidence from the fact that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) wrote in his paper to Qaisr a Verse.

وأباح الحكم وحماد مسه بظاهر الكف؛ لأن آلة المس باطن اليد، فينصرف النهي إليه دون غيره.

And **الحكم ** and Hamaad allowed touching it with the outside of the hand because the portion for touching is the inside of the hand, and the order of prohibition only relates to it and not to any other portion (according to them).

** ولنا قوله تعالى: {لا يمسه إلا المطهرون} الواقعة: 79] . وفي «كتاب النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - لعمرو بن حزم أن لا يمس القرآن إلا طاهر.» وهو كتاب مشهور، رواه أبو عبيد في فضائل القرآن وغيره، ورواه الأثرم،**

And we have His, the Exalted, Saying: No one touches it but the pure. And in the letter of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) to عمرو بن حزم that No one touches the Qur’aan except the pure. And it is a famous letter.

** فأما الآية التي كتب بها النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - فإنما قصد بها المراسلة، والآية في الرسالة أو كتاب فقه أو نحوه لا تمنع مسه، ولا يصير الكتاب بها مصحفا، ولا تثبت له حرمته.**

As for the Verse that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) wrote, then he intended with it only correspondence. And the Verse in a letter or a book of jurisprudence or the like does not forbid one from touching it and nor does the letter become the Mushaf (copy of the Qur’aan) because of it. And its sanctity is not established.

** إذا ثبت هذا فإنه لا يجوز له مسه بشيء من جسده؛ لأنه من جسده، فأشبه يده.**

And when this is established then it is not allowed for anyone to touch it with any part of his body.

وقولهم: إن المس إنما يختص بباطن اليد؛ ليس بصحيح؛ فإن كل شيء لاقى شيئا فقد مسه

And their saying the touch is restricted to the inside of the hand is not correct. For indeed everything in contact with something has touched it.

Source(s):
المغني
موفق الدين عبد الله بن أحمد بن قدامة](إسلام ويب - المغني - كتاب الطهارة - باب فرض الطهارة - مسألة لا يمس المصحف إلا طاهر- الجزء رقم1)

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

Peace ZeeshanParvez,

So what you concluded by the above information?

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

That the majority of scholars of Islam have held that one cannot touch the Qur’aan without Wudoo. Concluding that one can by the Verse written by the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) in his letter to Qaisar is not correct as one Verse does not make something the Mushaf (Qur’aan).

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

Kirad k paas khabar k siva kuch aur nahiin (the intellect/wisdom has nothing but enlightening news and facts)
tera ilaaj nazar k siva kuch aur nahiin (your remedy is only prescribed by adjusting your vision)
- Baal-e-Jibrael, Allama Iqbal

If you walk out of the washroom and reach for an apple to eat, I’ll point out if you have washed your hands, and if you used the hand sanitizer, that would be sufficient, for example.

If you are a hafiz, do you need make wudhu every time you recite quran from memory? If you are a hafiz of only Surah Fatiha, do you make wudhu to recite Surah fatiha?

Muslims, wise up!

The message of the Quran is not on the form, the life of Prophet Muhammed (God be please with him) was not on the form or rituals. He provided the flexibility for people to embrace Islam easily. Wudhu can be done by water flowing, few drops, sand, leaves, standing , lying, or even in state of paralysis one can make wudhu and perform salaah. But the muslims have missed Islam by a mile based on these unconextualized narrow narratives raised to the level of Pure Word from God.

Anything that prevents you from approaching good, or makes it difficult or discourages anyone, then for that person making Wudhu is not important. The ink, the pages, the paper, the cardboard, the bookmark is not holy in the Quran. It is the narration, the recitation, the meaning that is actually holy. Purification of the intent, and the tongue is actually thats important. If Wudhu helps in preparation of mental state, then it is encouragable in approaching to study and read the quran

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

With all due respect, I will completely have to disagree with what you have written. But I guess that is the nature of forums isn’t it. You get to read views which make you scratch your head.

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

Ofcourse, i dont care to gather agreements. But, maybe learn from reasoned disagreements. However, im affraid that even though what i have explained is in line with Quran and sunnah…people minds cant accept it simply because of its non orthodoxy to classicist mullah rhetoric.

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

That is incorrect.

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

Then please correct me

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

To be in line with the Qur’aan and Sunnah means you would have to have textual evidence for your stance from either one or both.

The only textual evidence present for those who take your stance has already been refuted by Ibn Qudaamah in the above.

Not to mention that Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) the Companion held the view that one cannot touch the Qur’aan without ablution.

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

Maybe right now your understanding is not there, but God encourages one to use your intellect reason and be convinced before obeying with conviction.

So before I write an exegesis quoting numerous quranic verses that influence my understanding please allow me to caution you.

Do not ever…EVER use hadith and poorly quoted hadith on its own.

Secondly, Never use hadith as a primary source. Quran is the pure primary source. Sunnah of rasool exemplifies quran as the key ancilary source, the codified cataloged hadith volumes are an error prone scholarly medium to give insight into Prophets Sunnah.

You cannot use an example as the primary source to establish conclusive opinions. This has been the single most cause of much disagreements in much greater issues. Sunnah must always be in support of Quranic injunctions not on its own. I hope you understand that.

Now for a quick example https://youtu.be/gcs1dIheI5s

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

The beauty of even considering debating someone not very knowledgeable is there inability of such persons to stay away from such flattering remarks.

For starters, I do not need your cautioning. It is quite clear from here that your methodology is not the same as mine and any further debate would only be a waste of my and your time. I do and will continue to use lone narrations for a source of Jurisprudence as has been done by both the Shaafi and Hanbali schools of thought.

This would lead me to conclude you are absolutely unaware of how the Qur’aan and Hadith have been transmitted to us down the generations.

An erroneous view, once again, which is largely in vogue due to misguided, and according to some out of the fold of Islam, groups often referred to as the Quranites.

Anyone who has spend any time understanding Islam realizes what are the true reasons for disagreement.

**Second, the ironic part is that in Ibn Qudamaah’s extract the first injunction used was a Quranic Verse. Which you will now try to find an alternate interpretation to to support your view of permissibility to touching the Qur’aan without ablution. **

With all due respect once again, the above has made clear that your methodology and mine vastly differ.

Given this I will not be using a proxy to view that link as Youtube is banned in Pakistan.

The majority, as a matter of fact vast majority, of scholars of the past and present are agreed that the Qur’aan cannot be touched without ablution and this includes the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). If you think that your understanding of Islam is beyond those who have passed then so be it.

Mine isn’t and I will not only follow but propagate the view held by orthodox Muslims.

Having said this, I really do not mind your difference of opinion on the subject. Unlike most Mullahs, I have no problem if you disagree. I believe you are wrong but that does not mean I will be labeling you a Mushrik, Kaffir, or misguided like some would!

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

Ofcourse if you would like to change this thread into one which defines methodologies and debates which one is correct we could begin by first discussing your view on the lone narrations and Mutawaatir Hadith and your stance on if you accept the former for Jurisprudence or not? And if you do what is the extent to which accept them? Do you allow Takhsees of Qur’anic Verses by such Hadith and of Mutawaatir ones?

I believe if you do enter in such a debate it will help you better understand the position of Ibn Qudamaah and other orthodox scholars and dispel your misconception that accepting Hadith as the primary source is the cause of disagreement.

**By the way, as a side note, no scholar has ever accepted Hadith as the primary source of Jurisprudence without considering the Qur’aan. **

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

Finally, I believe a discussion revolving around methodologies will better help you understand Qiyaas which you have done in the following

Once you understand the rules laid out by means of which Qiyaas is made you will understand how you have erred in the analogy you have presented above.

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

Do you have Hadith as reference that says holy prophet(s.a.w.) mentioned it or delivered this message directly to the companions?

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

If you are referring to the Hadith Ibn Qudaamah has mentioned which is

** لا يمس القرآن إلا طاهر

**then yes it has been narrated by Al-Daarqutni, Maalik, and Al-Haakim among others. Sheikh Al-albaani included it in his collection of authentic Hadith though he differed with the majority of scholars in his interpretation of the word pure used in the Hadith.

Additionally, you may like to read this.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz was asked a similar question, and he said:

It is not permissible for a Muslim to touch the Qur’aan when he does not have wudoo, according to the majority of scholars.

This is the view of the four imaams (may Allaah be pleased with them), and this was the view expressed in the fatwas of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

*A **saheeh hadeeth **concerning that has been narrated from ‘Amr ibn Hazm (may Allaah be pleased with him), stating that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wrote to the people of Yemen: “No one should touch the Qur’aan except one who is taahir (pure).” This is a jayyid hadeeth which has a number of other isnaads which strengthen it. *

Hence it is known that it not permissible to touch the Qur’aan except in a state of purity from both major and minor impurity. The same applies to moving it from place to place, if the person who is moving it is not taahir. But if he touches it or moves it with something in between, such as picking it up in a wrapper, then it is OK. But if he touches it directly when he is not taahir, this is not permitted according to the saheeh view of the majority of scholars, for the reasons stated above. With regard to reciting it, it is OK for him to recite it from memory when he is without wudoo’, or for him to read it if the Qur’aan is held by someone who asks him to correct or prompt him.

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

Thanks. I shall check, though major, minor or details of impurity is not mentioned in the hadith.

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

I already follow the rule of not touching the MusHaf without wudoo. However there are further questions or clarifications:

  1. How many ayaat constitute MusHaf or is it also dependent on intent of the text?

More later

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

id be interested is understanding my error in this analogy.

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

Peace BigdaNawab

I think there is confusion about scriptural source, Hadith and scholarly opinion.
First of all … It is true that primary source of Islamic scripture is the Qur’an. However, it is also true that Hadith accounts are in most parts designed to understand the Qur’an in the correct context. By reading the Qur’an in isolation to Hadith we are subject to our own reading of the scripture and we are not giving importance to the reading of those who knew It the best. Furthermore, there is a scholarly opinion … Again their ruling on a matter means we needn’t have to study many years in order to obtain a ruling ourselves … There are people in place who are trusted because of their sincerity and devotion to the sciences of Islam. They are better equipped to visualise the fullest array of meanings both the Qur’an and Ahadith present.

The attempt of the scholars is to extrapolate from the Qur’an out to Ahadith and out again to their own consensus as a process to weed out extraneous interpretations. That is their job …

Now our job happens in reverse … Our first point of contact is not the scripture for a ruling … Our first point of contact is a good scholarly fatwa, a scholar directly or a scholarly book that has grouped the matter at hand already. These books will often quote the Ahadith and in turn the Quranic ayah … To show the reference of the ruling that has been given. So it may appear odd to you that things happen in reverse but in reality they are not happening in reverse. We are merely going over past effort without falling in to the error of trying to redo the whole process in isolation to the cross-referencing and scholastic legacy that is available.

A simple challenge … A translation of the Qur’an is a scholarly piece of work. While you think you are going to the Qur’an you are in fact going to a piece of interpretation work … Can you actually go to Qur’an directly? Without learning Arabic? Can you learn Arabic without a teacher? Inevitably … Your route to the source has to be via secondary and third sources … No one can interpret the Qur’an directly … Except the one whose heart it was revealed on (SAW) … And evidence of this is seen through the tradition of companions who despite knowing still insisted to hear meanings explained to them from RasoolAllah (SAW).

Re: Touching the Qur’aan without Wudoo (ablution)

Furthermore … there is a test we can do to evaluate which method is better.

Test : Array of opinions

Get two groups of random people 100 in each group. Let the first group read a few sections in the Qur’an directly and let the second group be taught some rules and given some ahadith and then given the same few sections to read … Ask each individual to provide an explanation of what they read. Hypothesis - the untrained group will have greater variance and will be inconsistent with traditions. The latte group will be closer to traditional understanding and mutually more consistent too.

Further examples …

Person A: I’m gonna interpret the Qur’an for myself - with due respect to ahadith - the words of God are in the Qur’an.
Person B: You are not trained to take understandings directly from the Qur’an.

Person A: Well the Qur’an says that it is easy to understand.
Person B: Where does it say that exactly?

Person A: Well it says in the Qur’an - Surat Al-Qamar [54:17] - The Noble Qur’an - ??? ???
Person B: How do you know it says that - Have you learnt Arabic?

Person A: No, I just read the translation
Person B: Well I don’t think that verse points to the Qur’an being easy to understand - just easy to remember.

Person A: How can you prove it?
Person B: Easy this matter is empirically testable … If the Qur’an was easy to understand you would get greater consistency between interpretation. To get evidence for the other interpretation is to ask what that interpretation is first … Categorically a that verse pertains to memorisation … proof - look how many people have memorised the Qur’an?