Reciting Qur’an Without Ritual Purity (Wudu)

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question: Is one allowed to read Qur’an without ritual purity (wudu), from memory? Is one allowed to hold and recite from pages of Qur’an found separately (i.e., only the 30th part (Juz)) without wudu?

Answer: In the Name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful.

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

It is permitted to recite the Qur’an (without touching it) without wudu, though it is best (when reasonably possible) to be in a state of ritual purity. [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

However, if one is in a state of menstruation or major ritual impurity (that which necessitates ghusl), it is unlawful (haram) to recite the Qur’an. In such states dhikr and supplication remain permitted and strongly encouraged.

It isn’t permissible to touch the Qur’an itself–or a full page or more of the Qur’an on its own–without being in a state of ritual purity. If the Qur’an is written among other text (such as a book of Qur’anic exegesis (tafsir)), then it is only impermissible to touch places where the Qur’an itself is written.

And Allah knows best.

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Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani