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:

Assalamu Alikum,

IS IT PERMISIBLE IN PRAYER TO HOLD QURAN OPEN TO FOLLOW THE IMAM. PLEASE ADVICE

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Hold Quran in Prayer

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.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.88

Dhakwan, the protege of 'Aishah, would lead her in prayer during Ramadan while reciting from a copy of the Qur'an.

Related by Malik.

In light of the above evidence, the majority of the scholars state that there is absolutely no harm if one holds and recites from the Quran during any voluntary prayers, whether one is offering ones prayer alone or while in congregation. And there is absolutely no harm if one wishes to follow and understand the imam’s recitation of the Glorious Quran in any voluntary prayer by holding a copy of the Quran in the ranks behind the imam, regardless of whether the Quran being held is with or without translation.

If one does not understand the Arabic language or is not able to comprehend the verses of the Glorious Quran being recited in the voluntary prayers, and in his striving to understand the Noble Verses being recited one holds a copy of the Quran translation and follows the recitation so that he may understand the dictates of the Quran, there is absolutely no harm; in fact it is a deed which should be encouraged amongst those believers who are not blessed to understand the Arabic language.

If one takes a copy of the translation and follows the Glorious Quran being recited in the voluntary Tarawih prayers of Ramadan, especially where the Imam tries to complete the whole Quran in this Blessed Month, it provides a great opportunity for the believers who don’t understand the Arabic language to not only hear the recitation of the Glorious Quran, but also to understand it.

The scholars are unanimous in their opinion that one should only recite from the Quran what one has secured in one’s memory in one’s obligatory prayers, thus holding a copy of the Quran and reciting or reading from it during the obligatory prayers would not be permissible.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan