Touching the Quran on Your Phone: Does It Require Clean Hands?

09 September, 2025
Q Is it necessary to wash the hands after touching something dirty (but not najis) before holding a phone that contains Quranic text, and would it be sinful or disbelief if one doesn’t wash them?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. 

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.


In this fatwa:

In Islam, touching a phone that contains Quranic text does not require clean hands. Bodily discharges such as mucus, sweat, or tears are considered pure, not Najis. Scholars agree that while wiping them off with tissue or water is recommended for etiquette, it is not sinful or disbelief to handle a phone with Quran without washing.


Responding to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:

Bodily discharges from the nose, eyes, or ears are not considered ritually impure, even though they’re dirty. We should try to wipe our hands or clothes when we come into contact with them.

According to Imam Khalil “bodily fluids like sweat, tears, saliva, and mucus are pure. Although they may appear unclean, they do not affect our prayer or handling a Mushaf or a phone with Quran recordings.

This view is supported by evidence from sources and the actions of the Prophet’s companions, including explicit statements from Ibn `Abbas. The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned against being too rigid in religious matters, so there’s no need to be strict about these issues. However, wiping them off your hands and face with water or tissue is still good.

👉 Read more on related rulings about Quran handling and purity

Almighty Allah knows best.

About Sheikh Ahmad Kutty
Sheikh Ahmad Kutty is a Senior Lecturer and an Islamic Scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada