Reading directly from the Mus-haf in voluntary prayers

by Asma bint Shameem

🌿ANSWER🌿

Yes it’s ALLOWED to look in the Mus-haf and read directly when praying any voluntary prayer.

Proof:

Our Mother ‘Aa’ishah radhi Allaahu anhaa used to do that.

🍃 Imaam al-Bukhaari said:

“Aa’ishah radhi Allaahu anhaa had a slave who used to lead her in prayer in Ramadhaan, reading from the Mus’haf.“

[al-Bukhaari (1/245)]

If it was good enough for Aaishah radhi Allaahu anhaa, then it’s good enough for us.

🍃 Imaam az-Zuhri said about reading from the Mus-haf:

“The BEST ones among us used to read from the

Mus-hafs…”

🍃And “Ibn Sireen would pray, and the Mus-haf would be beside him, so if he hesitated; he would look at it.”

(Al-Musannaf ‘Abdur-Razzaaq 3931)

🍃Ishaaq bin Ibraheem bin Haani said:

“Abu ‘Abdillaah (Imaam Ahmad) commanded me to lead the people (in prayer) from the Mus-haf, so I did that.”

(Masaa-il Al-Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal Riwaayah Ibn Haani (no.487) 1/97)

🍃 Imaam an-Nawawi said:

“If he reads from the Mus-haf that does not invalidate his prayer, whether he had memorized it or not.

Rather he should do that if he has not memorized al-Faatihah, and if he turns the pages sometimes whilst praying that does not invalidate his prayer. … This is our view and the view of Maalik, Abu Yoosuf, Muhammad and Ahmad.”

(al-Majmoo’, 4/27)

🍃 Someone asked Shaikh Ibn Baaz:

“Is it permissible for the Imaam to read from the Mus-haf during the five daily prayers, especially Fajr when lengthy reading is required and there is the fear of making mistakes or forgetting?”

The Shaikh said:

“That is permissible if there is a need for it, just as it is permissible to read from the Mus-haf in Taraweeh for one who has not memorized the Qur’aan.

It is Sunnah to recite at length in Fajr prayer, so if the imam has not memorized al-Mufassal or anything else from the rest of the Qur’aan, it is permissible for him to recite from the Mus-haf. But it is prescribed for him to strive to memorize the Qur’aan, or at least to memorize al-Mufassal, so that he will not need to read from the Mus-haf.”

(Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 11/117)

🍃 And he also said:

“The Qur’aan and Sunnah indicate that the Qur’aan should be recited in prayer, whether it is from the Mus-haf or from memory.

It was proven that ‘Aa’ishah radhi Allaahu anhaa

told her freed slave Dhakwaan to lead her in praying qiyaam in Ramadhaan, and he used to read from the Mus-haf. Al-Bukhaari mentioned this in his Saheeh… “

(Fataawa Islaamiyah, vol.2 – Shaykh Ibn Baaz)

Just because we have not memorized the bigger Suwar (plural of Surah) of the Qur’aan, that does not mean that we cannot make our Salaah long and read more of the Qur’aan.

🔺How to do that❓

Just hold the Mus-haf (the Book of the Qur’aan) in your hand or place it on a table or something in front of you and read as much of it as you want in each rak’ah, DIRECTLY reading from the Book.

Maybe you can read one page in one rak’ah and the second page in the second rak’ah.

Or read a bit more than that or a bit less; whatever Allaah enables you to do.

This way, you get to read long Nawaafil AND read more of the Qur’aan at the same time Alhamdulillaah.

🔺 So Alhamdulillaah, It’s perfectly ok to read directly from the Qur’aan (or electronic device) in non-obligatory Salaah.

Whether it’s Sunnah or Nafl or Taraaweeh, go ahead and open the Mus-haf and read directly from it.

And benefit from the Book of Allaah.

May Allaah accept our ibaadaat, our duaas, our Taubah. Ameen.

And Allaah knows best.