There is nothing wrong with the imaam reading from the Mus-haf* (held in his hands) whilstpraying

Question 1419

I was wondering about praying salah while reading the quran (the book in your hands). We have a congregation here and no body has memorized the full Quran in our community. So, instead, the imam is reading the quran in his hands during Taraweeh. I heard that this is haraam according to some Hanafi Jurists, and might be makrooh according to others. Sould we just pray the salah with what we know (have memorized)? Please respond urgently to this question, and translate it to English soon also, inshaa-Allah.

Barakallahu feek.

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

Al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Saheeh:

Chapter on a slave or freed slave leading the prayer: Aaishah used to be led in prayer by her slave Dhakwaan whilst he was holding the Mus-haf. (Saheeh al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Adhan).

Ibn Hijr (may Allah have mercy on him) said in

Fath al-Baari Sharh ala Saheeh al-Bukhaari (his commentary on Saheeh al-Bukhaari): The phrase Aaishah used to be Abu Dawood completed the chain of narration in Kitaab al-Masaahif, via Ayyoob from Ibn Abi Maleekah, who said that Aaishah used to be led in prayer by her slave Dhakwaan whilst he was holding the Mus-haf (the Quran). The chain of narration was also completed by Ibn Abi Shaybah, who said: Wakee told us from Hishaam ibn Urwah from Abu Bakr ibn Abi Maleekah that Aaishah freed a slave she owned he used to lead her in prayer during Ramadaan, holding the Mus-haf.

If the imaam or a person who is praying alone recites from memory, this is better, but if he reads from the Mus-haf, there is nothing wrong with it. And Allah knows best.

* (Translators note) Mus-haf: a written or printed copy of the Quran.

Support IslamQA

There is nothing wrong with the imaam reading from the Mus-haf* (held in his hands) whilstpraying

Question 1419

Answer