Is it permissible to touch the mushaf without wudu' if a cloth barrier or something similar is placed?
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The questioner : The questioner, Sultan 'Abd al-Rahman, asks: Is it permissible to touch the mushaf without wudu' if a cloth barrier or something similar is placed?
The Shaykh : Yes, it is permissible for a person to place a cloth that separates him from touching the mushaf and to read from it, even if he is not in a state of wudu'. Here, the questioner asks if it is permissible to touch the mushaf while placing the cloth, but this expression is not correct, because if there is cloth, there is no touching. Touching is only possible if there is no barrier. The correct ruling is that it is not permissible to touch the mushaf while a person is not in a state of wudu' without a barrier, based on his statement in the hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wrote for 'Amr ibn Hazm:Muwatta Malik 15:1 Although this hadith is mursal, the scholars have considered it and acted upon it, deriving many issues in Islamic jurisprudence from it. Therefore, it is not permissible to touch the mushaf unless one is in a state of ritual purity. However, if a barrier is placed, it is not considered touching it, so there is no blame.
If someone asks what you say about children who carry a part of the Noble Qur'an while not in a state of wudu', we say that some scholars stated that children are exempt from this because a child is not accountable, so nothing is obligatory upon him. Others said that although nothing is obligatory upon him, it is obligatory for his guardian to prevent him from touching the mushaf without wudu'. However, here the need to touch the mushaf without wudu' is present, because the child may not know how to perform wudu'. Even if he does perform wudu', it is not guaranteed that he will keep himself free from states of ritual impurity, so he is excused due to hardship. And Allah knows best.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is permissible for a person to place a cloth that separates him from touching the mushaf and to read from it, even if he is not in a state of wudu'. Here, the questioner asks if it is permissible to touch the mushaf while placing the cloth, but this expression is not correct, because if there is cloth, there is no touching. Touching is only possible if there is no barrier. The correct ruling is that it is not permissible to touch the mushaf while a person is not in a state of wudu' without a barrier, based on his statement in the hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wrote for 'Amr ibn Hazm:
that no-one should touch the Qur'an unless he was pure
أن لا يمس القرءان إلا طاهرIf someone asks what you say about children who carry a part of the Noble Qur'an while not in a state of wudu', we say that some scholars stated that children are exempt from this because a child is not accountable, so nothing is obligatory upon him. Others said that although nothing is obligatory upon him, it is obligatory for his guardian to prevent him from touching the mushaf without wudu'. However, here the need to touch the mushaf without wudu' is present, because the child may not know how to perform wudu'. Even if he does perform wudu', it is not guaranteed that he will keep himself free from states of ritual impurity, so he is excused due to hardship. And Allah knows best.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.