What is the ruling on children touching the mushaf without ritual purity?
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The questioner : May Allah forgive you. What is the ruling on children touching the mushaf without ritual purity?
The Shaykh : Some scholars have granted a dispensation in this matter, arguing that a child is not accountable and not obligated, so the obligation is lifted from him, and thus he may touch it even without ritual purity. However, this reasoning is defective, indeed dead. For we say to this man: What do you think if he prayed without ritual purity? Would you say that he is not obligated to perform wudu? No, we say: He must perform wudu, otherwise he does not pray. Likewise, regarding touching the mushaf, we say: If the evidence indicates that it is not permissible to touch the mushaf except with ritual purity, then the boy should purify himself. However, some scholars granted a dispensation that is milder than this. They said: As for the young children, they may touch the mushaf on the condition that their hands do not touch the letters, but rather they hold it from the side, and on the condition that this is from the cut-out boards that young children usually carry. They permitted this, and the practice is based on this opinion. But if the boy is reading from the mushaf, then wudu is necessary. Yes.
The questioner : Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : Some scholars have granted a dispensation in this matter, arguing that a child is not accountable and not obligated, so the obligation is lifted from him, and thus he may touch it even without ritual purity. However, this reasoning is defective, indeed dead. For we say to this man: What do you think if he prayed without ritual purity? Would you say that he is not obligated to perform wudu? No, we say: He must perform wudu, otherwise he does not pray. Likewise, regarding touching the mushaf, we say: If the evidence indicates that it is not permissible to touch the mushaf except with ritual purity, then the boy should purify himself. However, some scholars granted a dispensation that is milder than this. They said: As for the young children, they may touch the mushaf on the condition that their hands do not touch the letters, but rather they hold it from the side, and on the condition that this is from the cut-out boards that young children usually carry. They permitted this, and the practice is based on this opinion. But if the boy is reading from the mushaf, then wudu is necessary. Yes.
The questioner : Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : Peace be upon you.