May the Quran copy be held in the left hand?
2026-10-13
F208 · Selected fatwas
Shaykh Ibn Bāz
الشيخ عبد العزيز بن عبد الله بن باز
Original Q&A · Complete published question and answer
Complete published question and answer. The Shaykh's statement that he knows of no objection and his preference for the right hand are both preserved.
النص العربي
السؤال الأصلي
أيضا يقول: هل يجوز مسك المصحف باليد اليسرى؟
الجواب
لا أعلم في هذا شيء، وإن كان أخذه باليمنى أفضل، اليمين أفضل في كل حال، كان الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم يجعل يده اليمنى لطهارته ولترجله، وللأخذ والعطاء، وللمصافحة ونحو ذلك، واليسرى لما سوى ذلك، فإذا دعت الحاجة إلى أن يأخذ المصحف باليسار؛ لأن اليمين تعبت، أو لأنه أراد أن يأخذ شيئا بها أو ما أشبه ذلك، فلا حرج إن شاء الله؛ لأنهما يتعاونان، اليدان تتعاونان، وليس المقصود بأخذه باليسرى إهانة ولا تساهلا وإنما تعاون من هذه لهذه، فهما يتعاونان، فإذا جعله في اليسرى وقرأ أو في اليمنى وقرأ، كله لا بأس به إن شاء الله، لكن في اليمنى كونه في اليمنى أولى وأفضل لما تقدم من تفضيل اليمنى في الأخذ والإعطاء والأكل ونحو ذلك.
نعم.
English translation
English translation prepared for SalafAlSalih.com from the cited Arabic source. It is not an official translation.
Original question
He also asks: May a copy of the Quran be held in the left hand?
Answer
I know of no objection to this, although taking it with the right hand is better. The right is preferable in these matters. The Messenger ﷺ used his right hand for purification, combing his hair, taking and giving, shaking hands and similar things, and his left for other matters. If a need arises to take the Quran copy with the left hand because the right has become tired, or because he wants to take something with it, or something similar, there is no harm, Allah willing. The two hands assist one another. Holding it with the left is not intended as disrespect or carelessness; it is one hand helping the other. They work together. Whether he places it in his left hand and reads, or in his right and reads, there is no harm in either, Allah willing. But having it in the right is more appropriate and better, because of the preference for the right in taking, giving, eating and similar matters mentioned earlier.
Yes.
Source and editorial notes
Official Ibn Bāz website, fatwa 4493
الموقع الرسمي للشيخ عبد العزيز بن باز
Official Ibn Bāz website
Complete published Arabic question and answer checked against the official source, including follow-up exchanges and closing words where present. Arabic diacritics omitted, directional formatting marks removed and honorific glyphs expanded for display. Source footnotes are kept separate.