What is the ruling on children touching the mushaf?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on children touching the mushaf, O honorable Shaykh? I hope for your benefit in this matter?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment:
The scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, differed regarding the permissibility of a person in a state of ritual impurity touching the mushaf:
Some scholars say that it is permissible for a person in a state of ritual impurity to touch the mushaf, because there is no valid, explicit evidence prohibiting a person in a state of ritual impurity from touching the mushaf, and the original ruling is the presumption of original permissibility and the absence of obligation.
Some scholars said that it is not permissible to touch the mushaf except in a state of ritual purity, because in the hadith of 'Amr ibn Hazm, which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wrote for him: The "pure" here refers to being pure from ritual impurity, because when Allah the Exalted mentioned the verse of ablution, the full ritual bath, and dry ablution, He said: [Al-Ma'idah 5:6], and because of His saying regarding menstruation: [Al-Baqarah 2:222].
This opinion is more correct than the first opinion, because although the word "pure" is shared between spiritual purity and physical purity, what is customary in the address of the Lawgiver is that He does not use the word "pure" for one who is spiritually pure. The one who is spiritually pure is the Muslim, and the impure one is the one who associates partners with Allah. Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said:[At-Tawbah 9:28] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 283 Since it is not customary to use the term "pure" for the believer, it is to be understood as the second meaning, or it is more likely to be understood as the second meaning, which is being pure from ritual impurity. However, the question remains: does the ruling include young children who are learning the Qur'an, such that we obligate them to perform ablution, or does it not include them because they are not accountable?
There is scholarly disagreement on this. Some said that a young child is not obligated to perform ablution to touch the mushaf because he is not accountable. Others said that he is obligated, so he is required to perform ablution. This is undoubtedly the more cautious approach, and it has the benefit of instilling in their hearts respect for the words of Allah Mighty and Majestic, and that He is worthy of a person purifying himself to touch them. If there is difficulty in obligating them to do so, it is possible for them to touch the mushaf through a barrier, as touching the mushaf through a barrier is permissible for both a person in a state of ritual impurity and a person in a state of ritual purity.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment:
The scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, differed regarding the permissibility of a person in a state of ritual impurity touching the mushaf:
Some scholars say that it is permissible for a person in a state of ritual impurity to touch the mushaf, because there is no valid, explicit evidence prohibiting a person in a state of ritual impurity from touching the mushaf, and the original ruling is the presumption of original permissibility and the absence of obligation.
Some scholars said that it is not permissible to touch the mushaf except in a state of ritual purity, because in the hadith of 'Amr ibn Hazm, which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wrote for him:
No one may touch the Qur'an except one who is in a state of ritual purity.
ألا يمس القرآن إلا طاهرAllah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you
ما يريد الله ليجعل عليكم من حرج ولكن يريد ليطهركمAnd when they have purified themselves, then come to them from where Allah has ordained for you
فإذا تطهرن فأتوهن من حيث أمركم اللهThis opinion is more correct than the first opinion, because although the word "pure" is shared between spiritual purity and physical purity, what is customary in the address of the Lawgiver is that He does not use the word "pure" for one who is spiritually pure. The one who is spiritually pure is the Muslim, and the impure one is the one who associates partners with Allah. Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said:
O you who have believed, indeed the polytheists are unclean, so let them not approach al-Masjid al-Haram after this, their [final] year
ياأيها الذين آمنوا إنما المشركون نجس فلا يقربوا المسجد الحرام بعد عامهم هذاA believer never becomes impure.
إن المؤمن لا ينجسThere is scholarly disagreement on this. Some said that a young child is not obligated to perform ablution to touch the mushaf because he is not accountable. Others said that he is obligated, so he is required to perform ablution. This is undoubtedly the more cautious approach, and it has the benefit of instilling in their hearts respect for the words of Allah Mighty and Majestic, and that He is worthy of a person purifying himself to touch them. If there is difficulty in obligating them to do so, it is possible for them to touch the mushaf through a barrier, as touching the mushaf through a barrier is permissible for both a person in a state of ritual impurity and a person in a state of ritual purity.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.