❖ Can a Surah of the Qur’an Be Recited Without Wudu?
Source: Fatawa Amun Puri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amun Puri
❀ Question:
Can a person recite any surah of the Qur’an without being in the state of wudu?
❀ Answer:
A person without wudu cannot touch the physical mushaf of the Qur’an. However, he may recite it verbally or by looking at it through a mobile or similar device. Wudu is not necessary for reciting the Qur’an, but it is necessary for holding the mushaf in one’s hand.
❀ Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما narrated:
استيقظ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فجلس يمسح النوم عن وجهه بيده، ثم قرأ العشر الآيات الخواتم من سورة آل عمران، ثم قام إلى شن معلقة، فتوضأ منها فأحسن وضوءه، ثم قام يصلي
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ woke up, sat down and rubbed the sleep from his eyes with his hand, then recited the last ten verses of Surah Aal ‘Imran. Then he went to a hanging water-skin, performed a thorough wudu from it, and then stood to perform prayer.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 183, Sahih Muslim: 256)
❀ Allamah Ibn Battal رحمه الله (d. 449H) said:
في هذا الحديث من الفقه رد على من كره قراءة القرآن على غير طهارة لمن لم يكن جنبا، وهو الحجة الكافية فى ذلك
“In this hadith is evidence against those who consider it disliked for a person without wudu (but not in the state of janabah) to recite the Qur’an. This hadith itself is a sufficient proof in this matter.”
(Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, 1/279)
