Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: Nothing would prevent the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from reciting the Qur'an except when he was in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah). The narrator named Sufyan states: Shu'bah said to me, "I have not narrated a hadith better than this."

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Rawaha (may Allah be pleased with him): The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade this: "No person should recite the Qur'an in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah)." The chain of narration of this report is excellent. Some other narrators have not mentioned Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) in its chain.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Rawahah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade us from this: "No person should recite the Qur'an in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah)."

Ikrimah narrates: Once, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Rawahah (may Allah be pleased with him) was sleeping beside his wife. He got up and went to his slave girl who was at the edge of the house and began to have intercourse with her. His wife became frightened in her sleep. When she woke up, she did not find Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Rawahah (may Allah be pleased with him) on the bed. She got up and went outside and saw that he was having intercourse with the slave girl. The woman went inside the house, took a knife, and came out. By that time, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Rawahah (may Allah be pleased with him) had finished and was returning. He encountered his wife, who was holding the knife. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Rawahah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "What happened?" His wife replied: "What could have happened? If I had found you in the state in which I saw you before, I would have struck this knife between your two shoulders." Ibn Rawahah asked: "Where did you see me?" His wife replied: "I saw you having intercourse with the slave girl." Ibn Rawahah said: "You did not see me." Then Sayyiduna Ibn Rawahah said: "The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has forbidden anyone in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah) from reciting the Qur'an." His wife said: "Then recite (the Qur'an)." So Sayyiduna Ibn Rawahah recited these verses: "The Messenger of Allah came to us, reciting His Book, which is more renowned and radiant than the bright morning. He came to us with guidance after our hearts had become blind; it was guidance that brought certainty, and whatever he said came to pass. He would spend the night in such a state that his side was separated from the bed, at a time when the beds of the polytheists were heavy with their weight." The woman said: "I believe in Allah and declare what I saw with my own eyes to be false." The next day, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Rawahah (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the service of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him about this. The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) smiled. The narrator says: To the extent that I could see his molar teeth.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: Once Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Rawahah entered the house (after which he narrated the whole incident, in which these words are found:). Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Rawahah stated: The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade this: "No person should recite the Qur'an in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah)."

Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: "A menstruating woman, a person in a state of major ritual impurity (junub), and a woman experiencing postnatal bleeding will not recite the Qur'an." The narrator of this narration, Yahya, is Ibn Abi Anisah, and he is weak.