The Permissibility of the Imam Carrying a Mushaf to Read From

Q: What is the ruling on the imam carrying a mushaf?

A: There is no harm in this according to the stronger opinion, and there is scholarly disagreement among the scholars, but the correct view is that there is no blame on him for reading from the mushaf if he has not memorized it, or if his memorization is weak and reading from the mushaf is more beneficial for the people and for him, then there is no harm in that.
Al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned a marginal note in his Sahih from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that her freed slave, Dhikwan, used to pray with her at night from the mushaf. The original ruling is the permissibility of this, but the report from Aisha supports it.
As for when the one who has memorized it is available, he is more preferable; because it is more gathering for the heart, and less for playing around; because carrying the mushaf requires placing it down and picking it up and searching through the pages, so it is resorted to when there is a need, and if one is free from it, that is better.