What Is the Difference Between the Quran and the Mushaf?
Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa
Question
Is it permissible to say: “Give me a copy of the Quran”? Or is it more correct to say: “A copy of the Mushaf”?
What is the difference between the two words?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.
Both terms are permissible to use because people today commonly understand that Mushaf refers to the physical book that contains the words of Allah (Most High). Similarly, when they say the Quran, they also mean the words of Allah (Most High). Therefore, there is no difference between saying “Give me a copy of the Mushaf” or “Give me a copy of the Quran.”
The Meaning of “Mushaf”
In the Arabic language, “Mushaf” refers to a book that contains collected pages. In Islamic terminology, “Mushaf” is the name given to the physical copy of the book that contains the words of Allah (Most High) between two covers.
The Meaning of “Quran”
In the Arabic language, “Quran” is derived from the root word “qara’a,” which means “to recite.” Hence, when you say “qara’a,” it means “he recited.” The term “Quran” was later adopted from this root to specifically refer to the divine scripture revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), as evidenced by Allah’s statement:
“So once We have recited a revelation (through Gabriel), follow its recitation (closely).” [Quran, 75:18]
Thus, the word “Quran” became a proper noun for the noble book, as indicated in the verse:
“Surely this Quran guides to what is most upright.” [Quran, 17:9]
In Islamic terminology, the Quran is defined as the speech of Allah (Most High), revealed to His Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), inimitable, recited as an act of worship, written in the Mushafs, and transmitted through tawatur (continuous and widespread transmission).
Explanation by Scholars
For instance, the author of Lisan al-‘Arab states that the Mushaf is called “Mushaf” because “it was made to gather” (ushifa), meaning it was compiled to include the written pages between two covers. Farra’ said: “It is called Mushaf (with a Damma on the ‘م’) and Mishaf (with a Kasrah on the ‘م’).” [Ibn Manzur, Lisan al-‘Arab; Daraz, al-Naba’ al-‘Azim]
The sanctity and reverence accorded to the Mushaf today, such as the prohibition of touching it without ablution or reciting from it while in a state of major impurity, stem from the fact that it contains the letters of the Quran.
This demonstrates that the term “Quran” can be applied to what is present in the Mushaf, which is why many scholars interpreted Allah’s statement:
“This is truly a noble Quran, in a well-preserved Record, touched by none except the purified (angels). (It is) a revelation from the Lord of all worlds.” [Quran, 56:77-80] to refer to the Quran present within the Mus’haf.
Difference Between Mushaf and Quran
Hanafi jurists discussed what a Muslim is permitted to swear an oath by. They stated that a Muslim may swear by the essence and attributes of Allah (Most High), with the speech of Allah being one of His attributes. They also discussed whether it is permissible to swear by the Mushaf and whether one would be held accountable if they do not fulfill what they swore by.
Imam ‘Ayni mentioned: “There is a difference of opinion regarding one who swears by the Quran or the Mushaf, or by what Allah has revealed. It is reported from Ibn Mas‘ud (Allah be pleased with him) that for every verse, there is an expiation for breaking the oath. This was also the view of Hasan Basri and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal. It was said that Ibn Mas‘ud’s statement is understood as an exaggeration, and there is no evidence for its correctness.” [‘Ayni, ‘Umdat al-Qari]
The author of Majma‘ al-Anhur stated: “If one swears by the Mushaf, places their hand on it, or says ‘by the truth of this’, it is considered an oath, especially in our time where false oaths have become prevalent and people have developed a habit of swearing by the Mushaf…” [Afandi, Majma‘ al-Anhur; Ibn Nujaym, al-Nahr al-Fa’iq; Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
Since the Mushaf contains the words of Allah (Most High), which are one of His attributes, it is permissible to swear by the Mushaf, with the intention being on what it contains of Allah’s words.
Final Note
The legal rulings on certain terms may change as customs and practices evolve. Therefore, a Muslim should consult scholars about the legal ruling of using certain words and not rely solely on linguistic dictionaries for their meaning. And Allah knows best.
May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.
[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa
Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.
He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.
He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.
Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.
