Non-Muslims touching the Quran

4-12-1999 | IslamWeb

Question:

CAN NON-MUSLIMS TOUCH THE QUR'AN? IF NOT, HOW CAN THEY READ IT? PLEASE GIVE DETAILS AND EVIDENCE FROM QUR'AN AND SUNNAH.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is not permissible for a non-Muslim to touch the Quran because he/she is impure. Allah Says (what means): {Indeed the polytheists are unclean.} [Quran 9:27]. Also, a non-Muslim neither performs ablution nor does he perform Ghusl (ritual bath).

Most scholars believe that a Muslim who is not in a state of ablution is not permitted to touch the Quran for the following verses in which Allah Says (what means): {Indeed, it is a noble Quran. In a Register well-protected. None touch it except the purified [i.e. the angels].} [Quran 56:77-79] Since this is the case for a Muslim, then the ruling is more valid for a non-Muslim.  So, if a non-Muslim wants to study the Quran, he should be given a translated version of the meanings of the Quran in his language if he is a non-Arab. If he is an Arab, he may read the interpretation of the Quran if he masters another language to which the Quran was translated. In case he does not master any other language than Arabic, then, in this case, someone should recite the Quran for him so that he may listen to it.

Allah knows best.