‘Abdallah b. Abu Bakr b. Muhammad b. ‘Amr b. Hazm said that the letter sent by God's messenger to ‘Amr b. Hazm contained the words, “Only one who is pure must touch the Qur’an.” Malik and Daraqutni transmitted it.
Purification: Mishkat al-Masabih 465
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon His final Messenger Muhammad.
Textual Analysis
The narration transmitted by Malik and Daraqutni states that the Prophet's letter to 'Amr b. Hazm contained the directive: "Only one who is pure must touch the Qur'an." This instruction originates from the Prophet's official correspondence, indicating its legal significance.
The term "pure" (tahir) in this context encompasses both major and minor ritual purity. A person in a state of major impurity (junub) must perform ghusl, while one in minor impurity must perform wudu before handling the mus'haf.
Scholarly Consensus
The majority of scholars, including the four imams, hold that touching the Qur'an requires ritual purity. This is based on this hadith and Allah's statement: "None touch it except the purified" (56:79).
Malik, Ash-Shafi'i, and Ahmad maintained this position strictly. Abu Hanifa permitted those without wudu to touch the Qur'an with a barrier, though purity remains preferred.
Practical Applications
This ruling applies to the complete Arabic text of the Qur'an. Translations and partial verses do not carry the same requirement, though respect should be maintained.
Children learning Qur'an may be taught without this requirement initially, as the objective of education takes precedence. Women experiencing post-natal bleeding or menstruation may recite Qur'an from memory without touching the mus'haf.
Spiritual Significance
This injunction teaches us to honor Allah's speech and approach it with proper reverence. Physical purity reflects spiritual preparation to receive divine guidance.
The requirement serves as a constant reminder of the Qur'an's sacred nature and encourages Muslims to maintain ritual purity throughout the day, facilitating spontaneous engagement with revelation.