After praying, some worshippers stretch out their legs in front of them to relax them, but there are usually Mus-hafs (copies of the Qur’aan) in front of them. I heard a fatwa by Ibn Taymiyah concerning this but I cannot remember it. Could you tell us the ruling on doing this?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The scholars are unanimously agreed that it is obligatory to
protect and respect the Mus-haf. Al-Majmoo’ by al-Nawawi, 2/84.
Stretching out one’s legs
towards the Mus-haf is a kind of bad manners.
Hence a number of scholars were of the view that this action
is makrooh, and some said that it is haraam.
It says in al-Bahr al-Raa’iq (2/36) – which is one of
the books of the Hanafi madhhab – :
It is makrooh for a
person to stretch out his legs when sleeping or at any other time towards
the Mus-haf or books of fiqh, unless the books are on a higher level than
him. End quote.
It says in al-Iqnaa’ (1/62) – which is one of the
books of the Hanbali madhhab – :
It is makrooh to stretch
out the legs in that direction (the direction of the Mus-haf); similarly it
is makrooh to turn one’s back to it or step over it.End quote.
Ibn Muflih said in al-Adaab al-Shar’iyyah (2/285):
It is makrooh to lay one’s head on the Mus-haf… Ibn Hamdaan
was of the view that it is haraam and that is stated definitively in
al-Mughni. That applies also to all books of knowledge in which Qur’aan
is quoted, otherwise it is merely makrooh. Similarly it is makrooh to
stretch out the legs towards any of those books. The Hanafis said that it is
makrooh, because they contain the names of Allaah, and it is bad manners.
End quote.
Some of the Shaafa’is were also of the view that it is
haraam, as stated in Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj, 1/155
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was
asked: In the mosques the Mus-hafs are placed on stands, and some people sit
down and stretch out their legs, and they may be pointed towards these
stands, with the feet close to them or underneath them. If the one who is
sitting like this does not intend any disrespect towards the Mus-haf, does
he have to move his legs away from the Mus-hafs, or move the Mus-hafs to
another place? Should we denounce the one who does that?
He replied:
Undoubtedly respecting the Book of Allaah is part of perfect
faith and veneration of one’s Lord, may He be exalted. Stretching out one’s
legs towards the Mus-haf or towards the stands where there are Mus-hafs, or
sitting on a chair or on a table under which there is a Mus-haf goes against
having proper respect for the Word of Allaah. Hence the scholars said that
it is makrooh for a person to stretch out his legs towards the Mus-haf, even
if his intention is sound and good. But if he intends to show disrespect
towards the Word of Allaah, then it is kufr, because the Qur’aan is the Word
of Allaah.
If you see anyone stretching out his legs towards the
Mus-haf, whether it is on a stand or on the ground, or you see someone
sitting on something and there is a Mus-haf underneath it, you should remove
the Mus-haf from in front of his feet or from beneath the chair on which he
is sitting, or you should tell him, “Don’t stretch out your legs towards the
Mus-haf; respect the Word of Allaah.”
The evidence for that is what I have mentioned about it
going against proper respect for the Word of Allaah. If a man whom you
respect is in front of you, you would not stretch out your legs towards him,
out of respect for him, and the Book of Allaah is more deserving of respect.
End quote.
Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen,
vol. 3.
With regard to the fatwa of Ibn Taymiyah concerning that, we
looked for it but we could not find it.
And Allaah knows best.
