Non Muslims and The Quran?

[Sister Nomee]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

ASALATU WASALAMU ALAYKA YA RASULLALLAH Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam

I hope you are in the best of health Inshallah.

I would like to know what the permissibility/ruling according to the Quran and the Hadith is regarding Non Muslims touching or handling the Quran shareef.

As part of teachers training today I was asked how do Teachers who are majority non Muslims store/handle and touch the Quran in school as most schools do have a copy of the Quran as part of their Religious Education lessons, In the past I have advised them to keep the Quran shareef on a higher shelf and preferably get a Muslim staff (which is not feasible at all times) to touch/handle the Quran and also wash before touching.

I want to be clear before giving them information out. So I hope you can put my mind at ease and tell me the correct manner on how Non Muslims should handle the Quran.

Jazakallah.

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


All Praise be to Allah who is the Lord of the Worlds, and may Endless Blessings be showered upon His Most Beloved, and Final Messenger of Islam, Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam


Jazak'allah for your question. If the Qur'an shareef has purely arabic text within it, then it is not permissible for any non-muslim who does not have wudhu to touch the Qur'an. The Qur'an says :

'' La ya massuhu illal mutahharun ''


'' Non shall touch it except those who are purified '' (with wudhu)

So the first doubt is erased in relation to muslims and non-muslims both.


In cases where the Qur'an has an arabic text, and an English text, then to prevent the person from touching the arabic text, he must have wudhu, be a muslim; as well as the responsibilty of touching and handling the Qur'an should be given to a muslim.


Alternatively, blackboards maybe used, projectors maybe handled so long as the operator is a muslim. Also handouts maybe given out but without the arabic text, taking care to place back in a safe place where they do have Qur'anic text in them.


Finally where the Qur'an has purely English translation, i.e text, then it is permissible for both the muslim, and the non-muslim to study touch and handle it without wudhu.


May Allah the Almighty give us all the guidance to safeguard our books, places and people.


Wallahu A'lamu Biththawaab


M. Waseem Ashrafi