Reading Tafsir Books for One Who Is Not in a State of Ritual Purity

A question from: M. H. - from Riyadh, she says: I read some of the Tafsir books of the Qur'an, such as the book (Safwat al-Tafasir), and I am not in a state of ritual purity, for example during menstruation. Is there any blame on me for this? And does any sin attach to me for it?

A: There is no blame on the menstruating woman or the woman with post-natal bleeding in reading Tafsir books, nor in reading the Qur'an without touching the Mushaf, according to the most correct of the scholars' opinions.
As for the one in a state of major ritual impurity, it is not permissible for him to read the Qur'an at all until he performs the full ritual bath. He may read in books of Tafsir, Hadith, and others without reading the verses contained within them; for it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that nothing prevented him from reading the Qur'an except major ritual impurity. In a wording from him (peace and blessings be upon him), he said within a Hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad with a good chain, from 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: .