As for the rational consideration, it may be said: if a person has no need of it, then giving it to others is obligatory, and no compensation may be taken for what is obligatory. If he does need it, then selling it is unlawful for him, because he needs it; thus, the sale is invalid.

Another rational argument is that selling it entails treating it as an ordinary commodity, as merchandise is treated, whereas the mushaf must be respected and venerated.

Some scholars have said that selling it is prohibited but valid. This, however, is open to objection, because it contradicts the established principles (1): the principle is that every prohibited contract is invalid. Thus, this view is problematic. Either we say that its sale is prohibited and invalid, or we say—as is held by the majority of scholars and as Muslims have practiced for long ages—that selling the mushaf is permissible and valid.

The correct view is that selling the mushaf is permissible and valid, based on the presumption of permissibility. Muslims have continued to act upon this up to the present day. If we were to prohibit its sale, this would prevent people from benefiting from it, because most people are reluctant to give it to others. Even if someone possesses a measure of scrupulousness and gives it away, he does so reluctantly. Moreover, if we were to tell everyone, “If you have no need of a mushaf, you must give it to someone else,” this would cause hardship for many people.

As for what has been reported from Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, perhaps it was during a time when people needed copies of the Quran and such copies were scarce. Had their sale been permitted at that time, people would have demanded high prices because of their scarcity. For this reason, he was of the view that they should not be sold.