What is the ruling on reading the Qur'an from the mushaf without ritual purity?

The questioner : I sometimes read the Qur'an from the mushaf without ritual purity, and one of the brothers told me that it is forbidden. Is there evidence for that?

The Shaykh : This issue, which is touching the mushaf without ritual purity, is a matter of disagreement among the scholars. The evidence for all of them is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the hadith of 'Amr ibn Hazm , and some of them also argued with the saying of Allah the Exalted .
As for the first, which is the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) , the word "pure" is a term with multiple meanings. It includes the one who is pure from ritual impurity, and it includes the one who is pure from shirk (associating partners with Allah). There is no doubt that the believer is pure from shirk, even if he has not purified himself from ritual impurity. Accordingly, the meaning of the hadith is that no one touches the Qur'an except a believer, and that it is not permissible for a non-believer to touch the Qur'an. As for the believer, he may touch it, even if he is not in a state of ritual purity. Some scholars, in establishing the argument from this hadith, said that the word "pure," just as it is used for the one pure from shirk, is also used for the one pure from ritual impurity. The better course is to choose the safer path and avoid doubt. Accordingly, one should not touch the mushaf except while in a state of purity from ritual impurity. There is no doubt that what is prescribed and better is that a person not touch the mushaf except while in a state of ritual purity.
This is if he touches it directly. As for touching it with a barrier, there is nothing wrong with that. For example, if he places a clean handkerchief between himself and the mushaf, or places his headscarf or something similar between himself and the mushaf, there is nothing wrong with that.
As for the argument from the verse, which is the saying of Allah the Exalted, "None touch it except the purified," that argument is not correct. Because the saying of Allah the Exalted, "None touch it except the purified," refers to the hidden Book. The pronoun refers to the nearest mentioned noun, as is known in the Arabic language, . For this reason, He said "except the purified" (al-mutahharun). The "purified" are those who purify, not "except the purified" (al-mutatahhirun) or "except those who purify themselves." Rather, He said "except the purified," meaning those whom Allah has purified, and they are the angels. So the verse is not evidence for the obligation of purity for touching the mushaf. Rather, what is intended is the Preserved Tablet, which is the hidden Book, and what is intended by "the purified" are the angels.
And I think the matter has become clear here, which is that it is better not to touch the Qur'an except while in a state of purity from ritual impurity. However, the obligation of that is a matter of consideration, because the word "pure" in the hadith is a term shared between two meanings, and it cannot be attributed to both meanings except by consensus.