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:

If you can't go to the mosque for tarawih due to some issues and decide to pray it at home.can you carry a quran in ur hand and read from it.is it allowed to read directly from the Quran.and wen we go in rukah can we place in on the prayer mat.

(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:

Tarawih prayer reading directly from the Quran

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