Faith

“Make it simple and giving them happy news”

By : Yussamir Yusof
Cyberjaya
18 April 2008
www.yussamir.com

Last two days, I got one question regarding whether non-Muslim can touch and read the Qur’an or not in one Forum. In that time, I had a lot of question in my mind.

“Hey, what kind of answer should I reply?” I ask my self.

“Don’t make it difficult. Don’t make him/her felling uncomfortable. Make it simple, don’t gave him/her a lot of discussion between scholars. Simple and make her/him happy man. This is your opportunity to explain the easy and practically practice in Islam to her/him. Just do it.” My self answer me.

For those who have knowledge but don’t know how to explain, I hope mine conversation with her below, can give a little bit of idea how to tackle and handle this situation in right way.

Deffie said,

“Hi everyone, I searched thru the forums, but I couldn't find any forum discussing this topic. Can someone answer this question please?

I’ve been told that non-Muslim can touch/read the translation of Quran, but how about the Quran itself? I really want to know. It’s a little bit hard for me to find a Muslim scholar in my place...if anyone found the thread for this question; can u please post the link here? Thanks guys for your help.”

Yussamir said:

There are few opinion regarding to the wudu'. Some scholar said whoever want to read and touch the Qur’an must take wudu', but some scholar giving permission to read and touch Qur’an without taking wudu'. Both opinions are acceptable, but for non-Muslim the second opinion is more practical and suitable.

"Make it simple and giving them a happy news". This is part of demanding from Rasulullah (peace be upon him) it self, regarding to attract Muslim to practice Islam, and especially to those who have a bit of interest in Islam. The simple and practically way is more suitable for her/him. Which is, can touch the Qu’ran without taking wudu'. I'm repeat, according to some scholars; they are technically not responsible for performing ablution and ghouls for touching it (see Ahkam al-Dhimmi in al-Ashbah wa 'l-Naza'ir and Radd al-Muhtar 5:248), since they are not responsible for the extended laws of Islam until they embrace the faith.

However, the best thing is, non-Muslims better taking a bath before touching the Qur’an. Base on one story narrating by Fatima, the sister of 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him), instructed him to purify himself before she would allow him to touch the sheets that had portions of the Qur'an inscribed upon them (Hayat al-Sahaba).

Scholars understand that the Qur'an, which is in the preserved tablet, cannot be touched by those who are not purified. As a matter of analogy, they say the Qur'an that we have in the duniya (world) cannot be touched by the one who is not pure. The commentaries of the Qur'an unanimously say that the purified means angels, and the Qur'an is talking about the preserved tablet. There is no authentic hadith prohibiting touching the Qur'an or reading it during human impurity.

Lastly, Dr Zakir Naik the famous person in comparative religion and also known as Ahmad Deedat Junior.Dr Zakir Naik gave an argument about giving only translations to non-muslims.He said that, there are many non-Muslim Arab living in Saudi Arabia(not include Makkah and Madinah).What will you give them when their own language is the one in which Qur’an was revealed?

So the conclusions is, non-Muslim is allowed to touch and read the Qur’an itself.
For my brother and sister in Islam, like I said, we must make it simple and easy to them who want to know Islam better. Because there are nothing perfectly dalil said non-Muslim cannot touch and reading the Qur’an itself.

Allah know best....