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Fatwa CenterHow to Hold the Mus'haf when Reciting from It in Prayer
Question
As-salamu alaykum brothers and sisters who are answering this. I have a question regarding praying with the Quran In hand. I know it’s not permissible to pray with the Quran in hand during fard salat but I would like to pray at least 2 rakaat of sunnah salat that are extra long every day. I however don’t memorize but a few Surat of the Quran. I’m working on that but In the meantime I would like to pray with the Quran. Where exactly do we put the Quran in salat when we are doing ruku, rising from ruku, sujood, and when sitting? Do we just lay it on the ground or keep it in hand? I can’t seem to find any info about this. May Allah grant you jannah , guide you , protect you from jahanam, and give you blessing and good deeds for sharing your vast knowledge with us. Ameen
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The scholars differed in opinion about the permissibility of reading from the Mus-haf in prayer. The view that we adopt here at Islamweb is that it is permissible whether it is a supererogatory prayer or an obligatory one.
Kash'shaaf al’Qinaa’ reads:
He [i.e. the worshiper] may read from the Mus-haf in prayer even if he memorized what he is reading because it was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah, the wife of the Prophet that Dhakwaan, who was her slave, used to lead her in prayer while reading from the Mus-haf. [Al-Bayhaqi] Az-Zuhri said: ‘Our most righteous scholars used to read from the Mus-haf in prayer, regardless whether it is a supererogatory prayer or an obligatory one.” [End of quote]
Whoever reads from the Mus-haf in his prayer, when he bows or prostrates, he should place the Mus-haf on a shelf, or a stand and the like, that is next to the praying person to put it on – and this thing should be appropriate to the veneration and respect of the Mus-haf.
An-Nawawi 
said in Al-Majmoo’: “The Muslim nation unanimously agreed that the Quran must be absolutely glorified, honored, and preserved.” [End of quote]
Therefore, it is not appropriate for the worshiper to put the Mus-haf in his hand and prostrate on it; neither the praying person nor anyone else should place the Mus-haf on the ground. Abu Daawood narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar 
who said: “A group of Jews came and invited the Messenger of Allah to Quff (a valley in Madeenah). So, he visited them in the house where they study. They said: O Abul Qaasim! One of our men has committed Zina (fornication or adultery) with a woman; so, pronounce judgment upon them. They placed a cushion for the Messenger of Allah who sat on it and said: Bring the Torah. It was then brought. He then withdrew the cushion from beneath him and placed the Torah on it saying: ‘I believed in you and in Him Who revealed you.’ He then said: ‘Bring me one who is most learned among you.’ Then a young man was brought….”
The Prophet put the Torah on a cushion as a way of honoring it, so let alone the Quran.
For more benefit on holding the Quran and reciting from it while praying, please refer to Fatawa 83531 and 86674.
Allah Knows best.
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