298. Can I Read Directly From The Mus-haf (Qur’aan) If I’m Praying A Voluntary Prayer?

By Asma bint Shameem 

Can I read directly from the Mus-haf (Qur’aan) if I’m praying a voluntary prayer such as Taraaweeh or Tahajjud or any other Nafl on my own?

I only know small surahs.

And I want to read MORE of the Qur’aan in my Salaah.

ANSWER

Yes it’s ALLOWED to look in the Mus-haf and read directly when praying any voluntary prayer. 

Just because we have not memorized the bigger Suwar (plural of Surah) of the Qur’aan, that does not mean that we cannot make our Salaah long and read more of the Qur’aan. 

How to do that ?

Just *hold* the Mus-haf (the Book of the Qur’aan) or *place it on a table* or something in front of you and read as much of it as you want in each rak’ah, DIRECTLY reading from the Book. 

Maybe you can read one page in one rak’ah and the second page in the second rak’ah. 

Or read a bit more than that or a bit less; whatever Allaah enables you to do. 

This way, you get to read long Nawaafil AND read more of the Qur’aan at the same time Alhamdulillaah.

 Alhamdulillaah, 
It’s *perfectly ok* to read directly from the Qur’aan in non-obligatory Salaah. 

Someone asked Imaam az-Zuhri about reading from the Mus-haf in Ramadhaan. 

He said: 

“The best ones among us used to read from the Mus-hafs…”

 Shaikh Ibn Baaz said:

“The Qur’aan and Sunnah indicate that Qur’aan should be recited in prayer, whether it is from the Mus-haf or from memory. 

It was proven that ‘Aa’ishah radhi Allaahu anhaa  told her freed slave Dhakwaan to lead her in praying qiyaam in Ramadhaan, and he used to read from the Mus-haf. 

al-Bukhaari mentioned this in his Saheeh… “

(Fataawa Islaamiyah, vol.2 – Shaykh Ibn Baaz)

So whether it’s Sunnah or Nafl or Taraaweeh, go ahead and open the Mus-haf and read directly from it. 

And benefit from the Book of Allaah. 

May Allaah accept our ibaadaat, our duaas, our Taubah.

 Ameen. 

And Allaah knows best.