Question:
What do the pious and expert scholars of Islam say: I have downloaded the Qur’an on my iPad, it is convenient. Can I launch and touch this application without wudu? Furthermore, what respect or manners do I have to display when handling the iPad because it contains the Qur’an? Can I put other things on top of it?
Answer:
This is a wonderful acquisition, congratulations! You do not have to have wudu to read from your iPad, the Qur’an says; “only touch it when you are clean, in wudu”. This refers to touching the pages of the Qur’an. If you do not use your finger on the Qur’anic words its permissible to read them without wudu. So, you can launch it without wudu, this is the virtual Qur’an.
I recommended that you show respect to the Divine scripture by observing the following rules even if it is virtual Qur’an:
- Be in a state of wudu
- Sit upright, facing the Qibla
- Begin with seeking Allah’s ﷻ protection from the Satan. Since “whoever respects the signs of Allah that is being mindful and pious.”
And Allah ﷻ knows best
Dr Musharraf Hussain Al-Azhari
Director of British Fatwa Council
