Can a Junub Person or Menstruating Woman Touch or Recite the Qur’an?

Source: Ahkam wa Masail – Ghusl ka Bayan, vol. 1, p. 95

Question​

Can a man in the state of major ritual impurity (junub) or a menstruating woman (ha’idh) hold or touch the Qur’an? Can they recite it?

Answer​

Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh. Ammā ba‘d:

Ruling​

• A junub person and a menstruating woman may recite the Qur’an orally from memory.
• They cannot hold or touch the mushaf (physical copy of the Qur’an).

Hadith Evidence​

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:


«لَا يَمَسُّ الْقُرْآنَ إِلَّا طَاهِرٌ»
"None should touch the Qur’an except one who is pure."
(Sunan al-Darimi 2/84, Bab: La talaq qabl an-nikah)


This hadith clearly states that only a person in a state of ritual purity may touch the Qur’an.

Qur’anic Evidence​

Allah ﷻ says:


﴿وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًا فَاطَّهَّرُوا﴾ (al-Ma’idah: 6)
"And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves."


This verse shows that a junub person is not in a state of purity, which is why the command to purify first has been given. If they were already pure, this command would not be necessary.

Application to Menstruating Women​

The same principle applies to menstruating women:

• They are in a state of ritual impurity and thus may not touch or hold the mushaf.
• However, they may recite the Qur’an verbally without physical contact.

هٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب