Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother Burhan. As-salaam-alaikum.
It has been noticed in many masajid that the Imam holds and reads from Quran Book in his hand while leading Taraweeh prayer. I understand that during Prophet Mohammed`s (s.a.w.s) and until Hazrat Osman`s (r.a) tenure, Quran was not there in the book form. But from any of the sources, is it proved that the prayer can be lead by holding Quran in hand and reading from it, if the Imam is not a Hafiz-ul-Quran? Does this void the Prayer?

May Allah reward you and your full team for the wonderful job....Ameen 

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Answer:

Imam reading from Quran in Tarawih

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

It is indeed true that at the time of the Prophet (saws) until the tenure of Hadrat Uthmaan (r.a.), the Glorious Quran was not available in the book form which we have amidst us today. Besides, a great number of the noble companions of the Messenger of Allah (saws) had memorized the Quran, and as such there was no real need to read the Quran in the Book form.

But if today, one who has not memorized the Quran and is chosen to lead the ‘Taraweeh’, wishes to recite the Quran by reading from the Book, there is absolutely no harm. The vast majority of the scholars in Islam are unanimous in their opinion that there is no harm if one reads from the Quran in a book form in any of the voluntary prayers (whether he is leading or praying in congregation, or praying alone at home); but in the ‘fard’ or obligatory prayers it would be best to recite only whatever one has memorized from the Quran. Reading from the Quran in a book form during any voluntary prayer does not invalidate the prayer in any way.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan