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Bismillahi Al-Rahmani Al-Rahim
Touching the Qur'an; Beards Q Salam, Is it permissible according to the madhhab of Imam Ahmad to touch the Qur'an without wudhu'? Also, is the beard fardh in the Hanbali madhhab? What should it's length be? A Wa `alaykum al-salam It is not permissible to touch the Qur'an without wudu, even for students who are in the process of memorizing it and even for women during their period or during nifas when they fear that they will forget it. Wudu is always a condition for touching the Qur'an. People who absolutely need some leeway on this issue are invited to consult with someone who has studied the Maliki madhhab with living Maliki scholars using authentic Maliki sources. The opinion held by Ibn Taymiyyah (Allah have mercy upon him) that it is permissible for women to touch the Qur'an during their period or during nifas out of fear of forgetting it is his personal opinion and it is not the opinion giving in the books of the Hanbali madhhab used for fatwa. Whenever I read this opinion with my sheikh he always points out that listening to the Qur'an on cassette or CD fulfills the need. And Allah knows best. Regarding the beard: the obligation is not shaving it off. The sunnah is to just let it grow to its natural length. It is permissible to trim the beard, though it is better not to trim it to a length less than the width of your palm. Someone who habitually shaves their beard without having a legal excuse for doing so is considered morally corrupt, and it is invalid to pray the five daily prayers behind them. Please search the group archive for more articles on this subject. And Allah knows best. wa al-salamu `alaykum --musa |