Why Touching the Quran is not Haram For the Person With Junub
C.J Ahmed-13.05.2023
There is a difference of opinion among scholars on whether a person who is sexually defile or is menstruating can touch the Quran. If there is a difference of opinion, Allah (swt) says to refer to him and his messenger(sal).
“If you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger (SAW), if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day”
Based on the two sources of Islam, namely the Quran and the Sahih hadiths, it is clear that you can touch the Quran even if you are in sexual impurity (junub).
Some scholars argue that even touching the Quran without wudu is haram. This wrong opinion is based on the following hadiths,
Abdullah ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “No one should touch the Quran unless they are pure.” (Muhjam al Kabir-Graded Hasan Sahih by Imam Suyuti)
In al-Istidhkār 2/372 it is mentioned based on this hadith , Al-Shafi’i, Al-Awza’i, Abu Thawr, and Ahmed said the written Quran should not be touched by a person with major impurity, nor a menstruating woman, nor a person without ablution but this is only the opinion of these scholars. We need to understand that the meaning of this hadith is for the person who is in Junud (sexually defiled) and not for the person who has not done wudu. This is explained in the following two hadiths,
Abil Gharīf who said ‘Ali (rali) made wuḍu’ by rinsing the mouth and cleaning out the nose with water three times each, then he washed his face three times, then he washed his hands and his forearms three times each, then he wiped his head and then washed his feet then he said, “This is how I saw Rasūlullah (sal) making wuḍu’. Then he recited some [verses] from the Qur’an and then said, “This is to be done [i.e. the recitation] for the one who is not Junub, but as for the one who is Junub then he is not to do it, not even a verse!”(Narrated in al Haythami in Majma al Zawaid-and Graded Sahih by Imam Haythami)
There is another similer hadith as well,
Ali (rali) said,
“Recite the Qur’an as long as you have not entered janaba (sexual defilement), and when you are in the state of janaba, do not, not even a single letter!” (a Darqutni who graded it as sahih (authentic)
The above two hadiths prove that wudu is not required when touching the Quran but now the question could arise for the reader on wether it is haram to touch the Quran when you had a wet dream, had masturbated or have had sexual intercourse. The aswer is , it is not lerly haram to touch the Qurn while seually defiled and the following hadiths will prove it.
Hadiths ProvingThat Touching the Quran is Halal With Junub
It is narrated in Baihaqi that Umar ibn Al-Khattab (rali) disliked reciting Qur’an while in the state of janabah (Narrated in Baihaqi in his Khilafiyyat and graded it Sahih (authentic))
There is a clear hadith which states that a person who is Junub is still pure and is not impure. The hadith is as follows,
Abu Hurayrah said: “I was met by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and I was junub. He took my hand and I walked with him until he sat down. Then I slipped away and washed myself (ghusl), then I came to where he was sitting. He said, ‘Where were you, O Abu Hurayrah’? I told him, and he said, ‘Subhan-Allaah, O Abu Hurayrah!, the believer does not become impure.” (Bukhari -276 and Muslim-556)
The above hdith prove that even junub will no mae a Muslim impure and this hadith clearly proves that touchingthe Quran even with junub is not haram. Imam Malik and his companions held the view that touching the Quran even if a woman is menstruating as mentioned in “ Majmu’”of Imam An-Nawawi Vol -2-387.
There is a difference of opinion among scholars on whether a person who is sexually defile or is menstruating can touch the Quran. If there is a difference of opinion, Allah (swt) says to refer to him and his messenger(sal).
“If you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger (SAW), if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day”
Based on the two sources of Islam, namely the Quran and the Sahih hadiths, it is clear that you can touch the Quran even if you are in sexual impurity (junub).
Some scholars argue that even touching the Quran without wudu is haram. This wrong opinion is based on the following hadiths,
Abdullah ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “No one should touch the Quran unless they are pure.” (Muhjam al Kabir-Graded Hasan Sahih by Imam Suyuti)
In al-Istidhkār 2/372 it is mentioned based on this hadith , Al-Shafi’i, Al-Awza’i, Abu Thawr, and Ahmed said the written Quran should not be touched by a person with major impurity, nor a menstruating woman, nor a person without ablution but this is only the opinion of these scholars. We need to understand that the meaning of this hadith is for the person who is in Junud (sexually defiled) and not for the person who has not done wudu. This is explained in the following two hadiths,
Abil Gharīf who said ‘Ali (rali) made wuḍu’ by rinsing the mouth and cleaning out the nose with water three times each, then he washed his face three times, then he washed his hands and his forearms three times each, then he wiped his head and then washed his feet then he said, “This is how I saw Rasūlullah (sal) making wuḍu’. Then he recited some [verses] from the Qur’an and then said, “This is to be done [i.e. the recitation] for the one who is not Junub, but as for the one who is Junub then he is not to do it, not even a verse!”(Narrated in al Haythami in Majma al Zawaid-and Graded Sahih by Imam Haythami)
There is another similer hadith as well,
Ali (rali) said,
“Recite the Qur’an as long as you have not entered janaba (sexual defilement), and when you are in the state of janaba, do not, not even a single letter!” (a Darqutni who graded it as sahih (authentic)
The above two hadiths prove that wudu is not required when touching the Quran but now the question could arise for the reader on wether it is haram to touch the Quran when you had a wet dream, had masturbated or have had sexual intercourse. The aswer is , it is not lerly haram to touch the Qurn while seually defiled and the following hadiths will prove it.
Hadiths ProvingThat Touching the Quran is Halal With Junub
It is narrated in Baihaqi that Umar ibn Al-Khattab (rali) disliked reciting Qur’an while in the state of janabah (Narrated in Baihaqi in his Khilafiyyat and graded it Sahih (authentic))
There is a clear hadith which states that a person who is Junub is still pure and is not impure. The hadith is as follows,
Abu Hurayrah said: “I was met by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and I was junub. He took my hand and I walked with him until he sat down. Then I slipped away and washed myself (ghusl), then I came to where he was sitting. He said, ‘Where were you, O Abu Hurayrah’? I told him, and he said, ‘Subhan-Allaah, O Abu Hurayrah!, the believer does not become impure.” (Bukhari -276 and Muslim-556)
The above hdith prove that even junub will no mae a Muslim impure and this hadith clearly proves that touchingthe Quran even with junub is not haram. Imam Malik and his companions held the view that touching the Quran even if a woman is menstruating as mentioned in “ Majmu’”of Imam An-Nawawi Vol -2-387.