Is it permissible to give a disbeliever a tafsir (exegesis) of the Noble Qur'an?
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The questioner : The sister on the line says: Honorable Shaykh, is it permissible for us to give a non-Muslim a tafsir of the Noble Qur'an in his language, hoping for his Islam?
The Shaykh : If his Islam is expected, there is no harm. However, tell him to come to him, for example, after the Zuhr or after the 'Asr prayer, and hand it to him so he can read it in the home of the owner of the mushaf (written copy of the Qur'an). This is because we do not feel safe that this disbeliever might take it, thinking he will become a Muslim, and then treat it with disrespect. But if he comes to the person's home and is given the mushaf, then we are safe from him treating it with disrespect. Yes.
The questioner : Does this include Islamic and legal books?
The Shaykh : Books other than the Qur'an are less severe, and hadith is more severe than books of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence).
The presenter : May Allah preserve you.
The Shaykh : If his Islam is expected, there is no harm. However, tell him to come to him, for example, after the Zuhr or after the 'Asr prayer, and hand it to him so he can read it in the home of the owner of the mushaf (written copy of the Qur'an). This is because we do not feel safe that this disbeliever might take it, thinking he will become a Muslim, and then treat it with disrespect. But if he comes to the person's home and is given the mushaf, then we are safe from him treating it with disrespect. Yes.
The questioner : Does this include Islamic and legal books?
The Shaykh : Books other than the Qur'an are less severe, and hadith is more severe than books of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence).
The presenter : May Allah preserve you.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 115- هل يجوز إعطاء الكافر تفسير القرآن الكريم /سؤال على الهاتف /ابن عثيمين — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.