Part of: Quran care and adab
GlossaryWudu and touching the Quran
Wudu is the ritual washing Muslims perform before prayer: hands, mouth, nose, face, arms, head, ears and feet. The majority of scholars, including the four Sunni schools, hold that wudu is needed to touch a mushaf directly, while reading from memory or a screen doesn't require it. Practice differs, so follow your teacher.
Wudu at madrasah
Most madrasahs ask children to make wudu when they arrive, before handling the Quran. Younger children are often taught to check "have I got wudu?" before opening their mushaf.
Common practical questions
- Carrying the Quran in a bag: many scholars allow carrying a mushaf without wudu when it's inside a separate bag or cover, since you aren't touching it directly.
- Children: many scholars are lenient with children who aren't yet mature, while still encouraging the habit.
- Qaidah and Islamic books: rules for the mushaf don't usually apply in the same way to books that contain some verses among other text.
These are summaries of widely held positions, not rulings. Ask your imam or teacher for guidance on your situation.
Why a separate sleeve helps
A bag with a dedicated Quran sleeve or a ghilaf means the mushaf can be carried and handed over in its cover. That's practical for children who haven't made wudu yet.
Questions people also ask
Can you carry a Quran in a bag without wudu?
Many scholars permit carrying a mushaf in a separate bag or cover without wudu, since it isn't touched directly. Ask your teacher about your school of thought.
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← How to carry the Quran respectfully: the full topic guide
- Teaching children to look after the Quran
- What is a mushaf?
- What is a ghilaf?
- What is a rehal?
- Quran pages getting bent or crumpled in the bag
- Quran got wet in the bag: what to do
- Quran binding coming loose or pages falling out
- The Quran fell on the floor: what should I do?
- How to store Qurans at home
- Too many Qurans at home: what to do with extra copies
- Is leather halal, and can you carry the Quran in a leather bag?
- How to make a simple Quran cover
- Travelling with a Quran: flights, Umrah and holidays
- Where do bags go in a quran circle?