[Podosinovik]

First I would like to quote a single hadith from Muwatta Malik in defense of our position that wudu is necessary for touching the Qur'an:
Section: The Order to Be In Wudu (When Touching the Qur'an)
Book 15, Number 15.1.1:Yahya related to me from Malik from Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr ibn Hazm that in a letter that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent to Amr ibn Hazm it said that no-one should touch the Qur'an unless he was pure.

Malik said, "No-one should carry the Qur'an by its strap, or on a cushion, unless he is pure. If it were permissible to do so, it would also have been permissible to carry it in its cover. This is not because there is something on the hands of the one who carries it by which the Qur'an will be soiled, but because it is disapproved of for someone to carry the Qur'an without being pure out of respect for the Qur'an, and in order to honour it."

Malik said, "The best thing that I have heard about this is the ayat 'None touch it except the purified.' (Sura 56 ayat 79) It ranks with the ayat in Surat Abasa (Sura 80), where Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, says, 'No, it is a reminder, and whoever wishes will remember it. Upon honoured pages, exalted and purified, by the hands of scribes, noble and obedient.' "
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This hadith is sufficient evidence for those who need to look at the actual sources before accepting a fatwa.

Secondly two interesting fatawa from scholars related to this topic. The first is from Shaykh Bin Baz and the other from Shaykh Ibn Uthaymin:

1)Noble Shaykh, it is a habit of mine that I recite certain chapters of the Qur’aan before I go to sleep, but there are days when I cannot do this because of my monthly period. May I write the chapters I wish to read on a piece of paper, so that I can read them during my period?

Answer:Menstruating women and women experiencing post-natal bleeding may recite the Qur’aan, according to the most correct view from the scholars, since there is no authentic proof that points to the contrary. However, they may not touch the Mushaf. what they can do is hold it indirectly, by placing a cloth, for instance, between the hand and the Qur’aan, and the same ruling applies for a piece of paper upon which is written parts of the Qur’aan. And with Allaah is the facilitation to do what is right.

Shaykh `Abdul-`Azeez Bin Baz. Fatawa Islamiyah, vol.7, p.47, DARUSALAM

As is obvious from the above Shaykh Bin Baz differs from us in that he allows an unqualified reading of the Qur'an while we say that the lady in her cycles should break it(the ayah) into smaller parts. Definitely in this issue our opinion is the safer and cautious position. For a detailed exposition of our view please see Mufti Shafi's Ma'arif al Qur'an, vol 8, commentary on verse 79 of Sura Waqi'ah. But what is to be noted is that the Shaykh also points out that she should not TOUCH THE QUR'AN. Of course he has not bothered to give any evidence from the Qur'an and Sunna at all! I guess we'll hear something from Idil about this soon.

2) A Person In A Minor State Of Impurity May Not Touch The Qur’aan
Question:If a person is in a minor state of impurity – such as someone who passes wind, urinates, of defecates – may he recite the Qur’aan?

Answer:Such a person may recite but not touch the Mushaf, for complete purification is not one of the requisites for reciting the Qur’aan. On the other hand, a person who is Junub may neither touch nor recite the Qur’aan until he performs Ghusl, yet he may still recite certain invocations from the Qur’aan, such as, “Bismillah-ir-Rahmaan-ir-Raheem,” or when he is afflicted, “Indeed we belong to Allaah, and indeed, to Him are we returning.”

Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-`Uthaymeen. Fatawa Islamiyah, vol.7, p.49, DARUSSALAM


In this fatwa Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen seems to agree 100% with the traditional opinion preventing a Junubi from reciting a complete verse of the Qur'an. Surprisingly he also offers no evidence. Seems to be talking to a bunch of stupid muqallids.
I hope that this helps in bringing the authentic position to the fore in the minds of those who think that their poor Paki-Indian muqallid brethren are far from the sources of Islam. Wasalaam.
Sorry for the long post.