✦ Extracted from: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ-e-Ḥadīth, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Vol. 1, pp. 231–237
Organized with clarity and structured format.
"كَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ يُؤُمُّهَا عَبْدُهَا ذَكْوَانُ مِنَ الْمُصْحَفِ"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
"ʿĀʾishah (RA) had her slave Dhakwān lead her in prayer by reciting from the Qur’an (muṣḥaf)."
This narration confirms that ʿĀʾishah (RA) prayed behind Dhakwān, who recited while looking into the muṣḥaf.
Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhrī was asked about this and responded:
"It has always been the practice of our best scholars to recite from the muṣḥaf."
(Qiyām al-Layl, p. 97)
have affirmed the validity of reciting from the muṣḥaf during prayers, especially Tarāwīḥ and Tahajjud.
Imām Mālik and Imām Aḥmad also permitted this practice when needed, though Imām Aḥmad preferred not to do so in obligatory prayers.
However, this reasoning is not sufficient to classify the act as makrūh, especially for voluntary prayers, as there is no explicit prohibition from the Prophet ﷺ.
◄ In obligatory prayers, it is better to avoid reading from the muṣḥaf, but it is not explicitly prohibited.
◄ The actions of ʿĀʾishah (RA) and numerous Tābiʿīn serve as evidence for this practice.
◄ Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah
◄ Fatḥ al-Bārī, Vol. 3, p. 387
◄ Nayl al-Awṭār, Vol. 3, p. 40
◄ Tanzīm Ahl-e-Ḥadīth, Vol. 22, Issue No. 34
Organized with clarity and structured format.
❖ Question
Is it permissible for an imam to lead prayer while reciting from the Qur’an by looking into the muṣḥaf? Specifically, what is the ruling regarding this practice in Tarāwīḥ or Tahajjud prayers? Further details are requested regarding the report of ʿĀʾishah (RA) and her servant Dhakwān, who reportedly led her in prayer while looking into the Qur’an.❖ Answer
There is narrated evidence in both ḥadīths and the actions of the early generations (athār) supporting the permissibility of reciting from the Qur’an by looking into it while praying. The practice of ʿĀʾishah (RA) also serves as a proof, as recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, under the chapter “Leadership of a Slave or Freedman in Prayer”:"كَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ يُؤُمُّهَا عَبْدُهَا ذَكْوَانُ مِنَ الْمُصْحَفِ"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
"ʿĀʾishah (RA) had her slave Dhakwān lead her in prayer by reciting from the Qur’an (muṣḥaf)."
This narration confirms that ʿĀʾishah (RA) prayed behind Dhakwān, who recited while looking into the muṣḥaf.
❖ Further References
This ruling is also supported in:- Imām al-Shāfiʿī’s works
- Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq
- Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah
Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhrī was asked about this and responded:
"It has always been the practice of our best scholars to recite from the muṣḥaf."
(Qiyām al-Layl, p. 97)
❖ Views of the Tābiʿīn and Scholars
Renowned Tābiʿīn like:- Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib
- ʿAṭā’
- Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd
have affirmed the validity of reciting from the muṣḥaf during prayers, especially Tarāwīḥ and Tahajjud.
Imām Mālik and Imām Aḥmad also permitted this practice when needed, though Imām Aḥmad preferred not to do so in obligatory prayers.
❖ Juristic Differences
Some scholars, like Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī and Sufyān al-Thawrī, considered it disliked (makrūh) due to its resemblance to the Jews, who relied on reading from the Torah instead of memorization.However, this reasoning is not sufficient to classify the act as makrūh, especially for voluntary prayers, as there is no explicit prohibition from the Prophet ﷺ.
❖ Summary
◄ Reciting from the muṣḥaf during non-obligatory prayers like Tarāwīḥ or Tahajjud is permissible, as established from the actions of the Companions and Tābiʿīn.◄ In obligatory prayers, it is better to avoid reading from the muṣḥaf, but it is not explicitly prohibited.
◄ The actions of ʿĀʾishah (RA) and numerous Tābiʿīn serve as evidence for this practice.
❖ References
◄ Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq◄ Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah
◄ Fatḥ al-Bārī, Vol. 3, p. 387
◄ Nayl al-Awṭār, Vol. 3, p. 40
◄ Tanzīm Ahl-e-Ḥadīth, Vol. 22, Issue No. 34
