directly, this is not permissible. As for touching a book of tafsir that contains Qur’anic passages, there is no harm in that, because such a volume is not regarded as a mushaf. Therefore, anyone who is in a state of ritual impurity may handle and read a commentary on the Qur’an, for it is not a mushaf but a work of exegesis.
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Reading the Qur’an during menstruation
Question: What is the ruling on a menstruating woman reading the Qur’an from the mushaf, and likewise reciting it from memory? I am accustomed to reading certain verses all the time; will I incur sin if I read them while menstruating? Sometimes I forget and begin to recite, then when I remember I break off—what is the ruling on that? Further, what is the ruling on reading the Qur’an during exams when the student is menstruating, or on reading portions of verses in certain subjects such as oneness (tawhid), fiqh, and the like, when the lesson requires verses for grammatical analysis or explanation?
Answer: Anyone in a state of major ritual impurity—whether because of janabah or menstruation—is forbidden to recite the Qur’an, whether from the mushaf or from memory, and is likewise forbidden to touch the mushaf even if not reading from it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, as recorded in the hadith of ʿAmr ibn Hazm, “No one may touch the Qur’an except one who is pure.” On this basis, it is impermissible for someone in either major or minor ritual impurity to touch the mushaf without a barrier. This is the consensus of the four Imams. As for reciting from memory, a person who is in a state of minor ritual impurity may recite the Qur’an without objection.