Home
Discover Islam
Quran Recitations
Lectures
Fatwa
Articles
Fiqh
E-Books
Women
Boys & Girls 
Enter Question
View By Subject
Fatwa Of The Week
Selected Fatwa
Fatwa CenterReading the Quran in a Language other than Arabic
Question
Salamoualaikoum, I would like to know whether it's better to learn and recite Quran in its original language, in Arabic, or whether it's also aloowed to learn and recite Quran in a transliteration, the language of your homecountry? Which is better to learn for reciting a Surah or Ayat after prayer?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
First of all, you should know that the Quran is not read in any language other than the Arabic language. Reading its meanings in other languages is a translation or reading of the meanings of the Quran, but they are not the Quran.
If by transliteration you mean that you read the Quran in the Arabic language but from a transcript written in non-Arabic letters, as you wrote at the beginning of the question the word ‘Salam’ in English letters, then it is not permissible at all to write the Quran in letters other than Arabic, because the scholars from the Four Schools of jurisprudence have agreed on the necessity of preserving the Ottoman writing.
Al-Fatawa al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kubra, authored by Ibn Hajar Al-Haytami, from the Shafi’i School of jurisprudence, reads:
“Malik was asked: “Can the Mus'haf be written as per the writing that is invented by the people that is not in accordance to the writing of the Mus'haf?” He replied: “No, only according to the first way of writing it, that is the writing of the Imam, which is the Ottoman Mus'haf.” Some of the prominent reciters of the Quran said that this statement is attributed to Malik, as he is the one who is asked about it, otherwise it is the view of the four Imams.” [End of quote]
Since it has become clear that it is not permissible to write the Quran with those letters, then in our view it is not allowed to read from it.
Therefore, dear sister, you should endeavor to learn the Arabic language as much as you will be able to understand the Quran and the Sunnah and perform your acts of worship with it.
Al-Mirdawi, from the Shafi’i School of jurisprudence, said in Al-Hawi: Ash-Shafi’i said:
“Every Muslim has to endeavor his utmost to learn the Arabic language in order to perform his Islamic obligation, in the same manner that he is obliged to learn the prayer and the Ath'kar (the remembrance of Allah).”
For more benefit on making Du'aa’ (supplicating) and reading Quran in a language other than Arabic, please refer to Fatawa 84628, 97317, 81564, 81795, 88514, 90654, 90869, 123119, 83636, 318661 and 335503.
Allah knows best.
Search Fatwa
Fatwa Subject
