Home » Hanafi Fiqh » Darulifta Azaadville » Printing And Distributing The Qur’aan Consisting Of The Translation Only

Printing And Distributing The Qur’aan Consisting Of The Translation Only

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Darulifta Azaadville

Question:

Many Da’wah institutes are giving copies of the Quraan to non-Mulsims with the intention of Da’wah. However, these Quraans are void and free of the Arabic Text, it only consists of the translation. Is it permissible to print and distribute such copies of the Quraan?

Answer:

We are prohibited from printing copies of the Qur’aan Sharif that consist of the translation only. It is recorded in the Kitaab ‘Al-Itqaan’ that the Imaams of all four Madhahib unanimously agree that printing copies of the translation without the Arabic text is prohibited. [Re:- Fataawa Mahmoodiyya Pg.215 Vol.7]

في الفتح عن الكافي ان اعتاد القراءة بالفارسية او اراد ان يكتب مصحفا بها يمنع اه شامي ص326 ج1

Yes, there is no harm in printing copies of the Qur’aan Sharif which include both the Arabic text as well as the translation. We therefore advise Da’wah institutes to print Qur’aans which contain the Arabic text together with the translation. However, non-Muslims are not aware of the etiquettes of the Qur’aan Sharif. These Qur’aans may therefore be then distributed to non-Muslims, but with the following conditions:

  • One should be confident that the non-Muslims to whom the Qur’aan is being given have shown a genuine interest in Islam and they will not show any disrespect to the Qur’aan.
  • When handing over these Qur’aans to them, they should be advised to handle the Qur’aan Sharif with the utmost of respect and in a state of cleanliness, so much so that they should be told to have a bath before touching and handling the Qur’aan [Re:- Fataawa Darul Uloom Zakariyya Pg. 738 Vol. 7]

If there is fear that these conditions will not be adhered to, then some other appropriate literature should preferably be handed to them which gives them a basic introduction to Islam, such as for example, “What is Islam?” by Hadhrat Moulana Manzoor Nu’maani (Rahmatullahi Alaih) which is available in English; or any similar type of books. They will Insha-Allah benefit more from this type of literature and the possibility of them showing disrespect to the Qur’aan will be averted. Over and above that, if we give them copies of the Qur’aan, there is the possibility of them misunderstanding verses of the Qur’aan.

Checked and Approved By:

Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.

This answer was collected from the official Ifta website of Darul Uloom Azaadville, South Africa. Most of the answers are checked and approved by Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.

Read answers with similar topics: