How to purify the Mus-haf of impurity that has gotten onto it
Question

                If impurity accidentally gets onto the Mus-haf (Arabic-only copy of the Qur’an), can it be purified simply by pouring water on it, then drying it with a sponge or tissues?
Praise be to Allah.
	Firstly:

	Venerating the 
	Mus-haf and protecting it from dirt is a duty and a must.

	Allah, may He be 
	exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

	“That [is 
	so]. And whoever honors the symbols of Allah - indeed, it is from the piety 
	of hearts”

	[al-Hajj 
	22:32]

	“That [has 
	been commanded], and whoever honors the sacred ordinances of Allah - it is 
	best for him”

	[al-Hajj 
	22:30].

	Shaykh Muhammad 
	ibn Ibraaheem (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

	The “sacred 
	ordinances” refers to complying with commands to do obligatory and Sunnah 
	actions. One of the things that Allah has enjoined is to venerate and 
	respect His Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger (blessings and peace of 
	Allah be upon him). The “symbols” refers to everything that Allah, may He be 
	exalted, has enjoined, referred to or told us about, which includes His Book 
	and the Sunnah of His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).

	End quote. 
	Fataawa ash-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (2/32).

	Maintaining the 
	purity of the pages of the Qur’an and protecting them from contamination 
	with any kind of filth or dirt comes under the heading of venerating and 
	respecting the Qur’an, and is something concerning which the scholars are 
	unanimously agreed is obligatory. 

	An-Nawawi (may 
	Allah have mercy on him) said:

	The Muslims are 
	unanimously agreed that it is obligatory to protect and respect the Mus-haf.

	Our companions 
	and others said: If a Muslim were to throw it [the Mus-haf] into the trash – 
	Allah forbid – then the one who did that would become a disbeliever.

	They said: It is 
	haraam to recline on it as if it were a pillow; in fact reclining on any 
	book of knowledge as if it were a pillow is haraam.

	End quote. 
	At-Tibyaan fi Adaab Hamalat al-Qur’an, p. 190-191

	Based on that, 
	we must hasten to purify the Mus-haf if it becomes contaminated with 
	impurity or any kind of filth.

	Secondly:

	With regard to 
	that which will be spoiled by washing, such as paper and the like, it is not 
	essential to wash it in order to remove the impurity. Rather the impurity 
	may be removed from it in whatever way possible, without spoiling it, such 
	as wiping it with a tissue, exposing it to the air, drying it in the sun, 
	and the like, which may remove the impurity from it without destroying the 
	Mus-haf or damaging its pages.

	Shaykh al-Islam 
	Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

	If the impurity 
	is on something that will be damaged by washing, such as a silk garment, 
	paper and the like, then it may be wiped, and there is no need to wash it, 
	according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions.

	The reason for 
	that is that with regard to removing impurity without using water, there are 
	three opinions among the scholars, in the madhhab of Imam Ahmad and others.

	It was said: it 
	is permissible to use anything that will remove the impurity, as is the view 
	of Abu Haneefah, and this is the strongest view.

	And it was said: 
	it is not permissible to use anything other than water, as is the view of 
	ash-Shaafa‘i.

	And it was said 
	that it is permissible not to use water when there is a reason for not doing 
	so, as is the view of Maalik.

	End quote. 
	Jaami‘ al-Masaa’il, 9/313-314.

	He also said:

	The most correct 
	view concerning this matter is that once the impurity is removed, by 
	whatever means, the ruling of impurity no longer applies, because if the 
	ruling is connected to a reason, it no longer applies once that reason is no 
	longer there.

	End quote, 
	Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 21/475

	Shaykh Ibn 
	‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

	The correct view 
	is that once the impurity has been removed, by whatever means, the place 
	where it was has now become pure, because impurity is a dirty physical 
	thing, so once it is removed, the ruling of impurity no longer applies. It 
	is not something intangible, like ritual impurity that can only be removed 
	in the manner prescribed in Islamic teaching.

	The fuqaha’ (may 
	Allah have mercy on them) said: If there is an impurity in a large amount of 
	water, and its description changes because of the impurity, then that change 
	disappears by itself, the water becomes pure and is a means of purification. 
	If wine turns to vinegar by itself, it becomes pure. This is an example of 
	an impure substance becoming pure without the use of water.

	As for mention 
	of water, in particular, as a means of purification in the evidence and 
	reports mentioned above, the fact that it is mentioned does not mean that it 
	is the only way; rather it is mentioned because it is more effective in 
	removing dirt and more readily available.

	End quote. 
	Ash-Sharh al-Mumti‘, 1/30

	And Allah knows 
	best.