Can I put the Quran on the floor?
No, it's best not to. Scholars agree that a printed Quran should be kept off the floor out of respect, and placing it there on purpose to belittle it is a serious sin. But if you set it down briefly on a clean floor because there's nowhere else, or it falls by accident, you haven't sinned: just pick it up gently and move on.
Why Muslims keep the Quran off the floor
For Muslims, the Quran is the speech of Allah, so a printed copy (a mushaf) is treated with special care. It isn't superstition: it's a way of showing love and respect for what it contains. The Quran links honoring sacred things with sincere faith:
There's also a touching example from the Prophet ﷺ. When some Jews in Madinah brought him a Torah, he removed the cushion from beneath himself and placed the Torah on it (Sunan Abi Dawud 4449). If he showed that respect to an earlier scripture, Muslims naturally show at least as much to the Quran.
Intention makes the difference
- Deliberate disrespect: throwing it on the floor, stepping on it or kicking it to insult it is a grave sin, and scholars treat intentional desecration very seriously.
- Accidents: if it slips off a table or out of your bag, there's no sin. Allah doesn't hold us accountable for mistakes.
- Practical necessity: many scholars say setting it down briefly on a clean floor, for example while you rearrange a shelf, isn't sinful, though raising it is better.
Some cultures have extra customs, like kissing the Quran after it falls. These come from love and respect, but they aren't required. See Do I need wudu to touch a printed Quran?
Practical ways to keep it raised
- Use a Quran stand (rehal): the folding X-shaped wooden stands are cheap and perfect when you sit on the floor to read.
- A cushion or your lap: if you sit on a prayer mat, rest it on a cushion or hold it.
- At the mosque: use the stands or shelves provided, and put copies back on the shelf when you're done.
- In your bag: keep it in a cloth cover so it doesn't get crushed under heavy items.
What about phones and translations?
A phone with a Quran app isn't a mushaf, so putting your phone on the floor is fine. A translation-only book, or a book with a few verses quoted in it, is generally treated more lightly than a full Arabic mushaf, but keeping any book with Quran verses off the floor is still a good habit. See Can I touch the Quran if I'm not Muslim?
- Keep a printed Quran off the floor out of respect.
- Deliberate disrespect is a serious sin.
- Accidents and brief necessity are not sinful.
- A phone with a Quran app is fine on the floor.
People also ask
How do I dispose of an old or damaged Quran?
It depends on its condition. Repair or donate it if usable; otherwise bury it, burn it respectfully or give it to a mosque.
Read the full answer →Where should I keep the Quran at home?
It depends on your home: keep the Quran somewhere clean, raised and easy to reach, like a shelf, not on the floor or in the bathroom.
Read the full answer →How much Quran should I read every day?
It depends on you: there's no fixed amount. Read what you can keep up daily, even a few verses. Consistency beats quantity.
Read the full answer →How long does it take to read the whole Quran?
It depends on pace, but about 15 to 25 hours for a fluent reader. One juz a day finishes the Quran's 604 pages in a month.
Read the full answer →Do I need wudu to touch a printed Quran?
Yes, most scholars require wudu to touch the Arabic mushaf. Reading without touching, or holding it with a cloth or bag, is fine.
Read the full answer →