I am very interested in Islam and the Quran. I am a Christian but I wish to respect the Quran when I read it however I know nothing of Islam or the terms being used in your instructions on how to read the Quran. I thank you for any help.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

We thank the questioner for visiting our site and we hope that this communication would continue. We welcome your queries and will try our best to answer them.

For information on what is Islam, please refer to our previous Fataawa: 81979 and 82427.

As for touching the Quran (Arabic text only), our religious rulings do not allow a non-Muslim to touch it in order to safeguard Quran from abuse or humiliation. It is a general fact that a non-Muslim is not aware of the greatness of the Quran. Consequently, he cannot respect Quran as it should be.

Therefore, it is not allowed for a non-Muslim to touch the Quran. But, the majority of Muslim scholars are of the opinion that it is not allowed even for a Muslim to touch the Quran without being in the state of ritual purity.

All the aforementioned precautions are made in the glorification of this great Book which is the last Divine Book.

However, you may own the translation of the meaning of the Quran free from the Arabic text. It is allowed for a non-Muslim to touch such translation which is not the Words of Allaah rather it is merely a translation the meaning of His Words.

We would like to take this opportunity to invite you to find out about Islam as witnessed by honest writers of your community or other impartial people. Indeed, it may lead you to embrace Islam which is the religion of all Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention. This is the religion of Allaah, the Glorified and the Exalted; He does not accept any other religion. Allaah Says (which means): {Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allaah is Islam.}[Quran 3:19]

He also Says (which means): {And whoever desires other than Islam as religion – never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.}[Quran 3:85]

We are sure that if you read the translation of the meaning of the Quran carefully, impartially, cogitating its meanings and seeking guidance, you will know the truth and agree that only Islam is the true religion.

We have mentioned in our Fatwa: 81396 that Jesus informed about the coming of the last Prophet . As for the reality of Jesus, may Allaah exalt him mention, read Fataawa: 88187, 88276 and 83990.

Finally, we supplicate Allaah to guide you to the right path and bless you to choose it. Once again we thank you for your concern about Islam and the Quran.

Allaah Knows best.