Is it valid to use the Mus'haf (physical copy of the Quran) as collateral (Rahn)?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Pledges (Collateral)
Primary text
There are two reported positions regarding the validity of using the Mus'haf as collateral. The first ruling states that pledging the Mus'haf as collateral is invalid. This position is reported from the majority of scholars who held that it is forbidden (arkhas) to pledge the Mus'haf. The reasoning is that the purpose of collateral is to satisfy the debt from its sale price, which requires selling it. Selling the Mus'haf is not permissible (la yahsul).
Supporting text
The second ruling states that pledging the Mus'haf as collateral is valid. This is supported by a statement indicating that if one pledges a Mus'haf, the pledgee cannot read from it except with the permission of the owner, which implies the validity of the pledge itself. This view is held by Malik, Al-Shafi'i, Abu Thawr, and the companions of Al-Ra'y (Hanafi school), based on the premise that selling the Mus'haf is valid, and therefore, like other items, its pledge is also valid.