GENERAL ETIQUETTE’S OF THE QURAN KARIM
General Etiquette’s of the Quran
- Respect for the Quran Sharif
- It is compulsory to touch the Quran in the state of wudhu
The Quran states :
“That (this) is indeed a noble Quran
In a Book well-guarded
Which none can touch but the purified,
A Revelation from the Lord of the Worlds.” (Surat Al-Waq`ia verse 77-80)
The classical scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama`ah (the four schools) are
unanimous in their interpretation of the above verses that a person has to be
physically clean (in a state of wudhu) in order to handle the Arabic book of the Quran (mushaf).
It is unlawful (haram) for someone not in the state of wudhu to carry or touch a Quran, it’s writing, the spaces between it’s lines, it’s margins,
it’s binding or the carrying strap attached to it.
It is permissible to carry tafsirs or translations of the Quran provided that
most of their text is not Qur’anic Arabic text. However, as respect to the
Quran it is always meritorious to touch these in a state of wudhu as well.
2. One should not use saliva on the fingers to turn the pages of the Qur’an
as this soils the pages.
3. It is only appropriate to brush one’s teeth with a toothstick (miswak),
remove food particles from between them, and to freshen one’s mouth
before reciting, since these are the words of Allah.
4. It is best not to lean against something and recite the Quran. Rather
sit upright and humble like a slave before his master.
- One should dress as if one is intending to visit a king because the reciter
is engaged in an intimate discourse with the king of all kings – Allah.
6. When beginning to recite, say Áoozu Billahi Minash Shaitaanir Rajeem
and Bismalah Hir Rahmaanir Raheem, whether one has begun at the first
surah or some other part one has reached.
7. Recite it leisurely and without haste.
- Give each letter its due so as to clearly and fully pronounce every word,
for each letter counts as ten good deeds.
- No books should be placed on the Qur’an. It should always be higher than
all other books, whether they are books of sacred knowledge or something
else.
- How to study the Quran
When studying the Quran a person needs to respond emotionally and in
practice to the words of the Qur’an:
- At verses that promise Allah’s favour, one should long for Allah Most High
and ask of His bounty. At verses that warn of His punishment one should ask
Him to save one from it.
2. When hearing Allah’s name and His attributes, the heart should be filled
with awe and gratitude.
- When reading of Allah’s messengers, the heart should have an urge to
follow them and an aversion for those who opposed them.
- When reading of the Day of Judgement, the heart should long for paradise,
and tremble at the very thought of hell-fire.
- When reading of disobedient persons and nations who went astray and
earned Allah’s punishment, one should intensely dislike being as they were.
- When reading of the righteous, whom Allah loves and rewards, one should
be eager to be like them.
- When reading of the promises of rewards, forgiveness and mercy and of
His pleasure in the Hereafter, the heart should be filled with a desire to work for
them and deserve them.
- When reading of those who are indifferent to the Quran, who turn away from
it, who do not accept it and who do not live by it one should fear that one
becomes of them, and resolve not to be from amongst them.
- When hearing the summons to obey Allah and strive in His way, one should be determined to respond and achieve the peace and happiness that comes from responding.